Queensland has introduced tougher regulations for composting facilities after an ongoing battle against smelly waste.

It comes after the state government in 2023 was flooded with more than 8,000 complaints from the Ipswich community about bad smells from nearby compositing facilities at Swanbank and New Chum, with the government launching action against operator NuGrow Ipswich Pty Ltd in the Land and Environment Court.

Community consultation on proposed stronger regulations for composting facilities was announced in May, with the government saying the proposal had overwhelming support from councils and the community.

The new regulations give the environmental regulator, the Department of Environmental Science, powers to require new and expanding composting facilities within four kilometres of a residential area to have enclosed or ‘in vessel’ processing, and to prevent ‘odorous waste’ from being transported  sites that don’t meet the requirements.

The changes won’t affect composting facilities that are located more than four kilometres away from residential zones or are not receiving odorous waste.

The regulator will also be able to update environmental authorities on existing composting facilities on a site-by-site basis.

Community, councils want tougher regulations

More than 93 per cent of community feedback and more than 70 per cent of industry and local government responses called for stronger regulation of composting facilities, Environment minister Leanne Linard said.

“For years, the Environmental Regulator has tried to get some operators to do the right thing, now we have taken decisive action to strengthen the regulations and make sure that the community’s interests are protected,” she said on Saturday.

For years, the Environmental Regulator has tried to get some operators to do the right thing, now we have taken decisive action to strengthen the regulations and make sure that the community’s interests are protected.

Minister Leanne Linard

The implementation of stronger regulations for composting facilities is part of a five-point action plan to address odour issues in the Ipswich area.

Other measures include increased compliance, expanded air monitoring, community engagement and amendments to powers and penalties under environmental protection laws, with a 40 per cent increase in the number of inspections compared to last year, and a tripling of enforcement notices issued, the government says.

NuGrow has previously said it’s working to incorporate best practice standards of operation which would result in reduced odour emissions.

However it says attempts to upgrade and enclose the composting facility have been delayed by ‘contradictory and uncoordinated’ policy directions from the state and council. 

A DES spokesman told Government News as the NuGrow matter remained before the courts the department would not be commenting on how the legal case would be impacted by the new regulations.