CLEANAWAY’S plans for a controversial waste-to-energy facility in Wollert have taken a major turn, with the company seeking to double the size of the proposed operation.
Adding further uncertainty, Cleanaway last month withdrew its development licence application from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), just days before the August 30 decision deadline. The move is believed to clear the way for a fresh application that reflects the new, higher waste cap approved by Recycling Victoria.
The waste giant has also been granted a separate licence by Recycling Victoria to process up to 760,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year, a dramatic increase from the 380,000 tonnes originally proposed.
The Melbourne Energy and Resource Centre (MERC) to be built at 510 Summerhill Road, Wollert, would handle around 13 per cent of Victoria’s landfill-bound waste.
Cleanaway argues the larger facility will be more economically viable and deliver greater environmental benefits, including cheaper waste management costs and large-scale energy recovery.
The project has been pitched as a future energy hub, capable of powering about 140,000 homes and businesses, while also supplying electricity, heat and steam to nearby industries.
But the expansion has sparked growing concern among local residents, environmental groups and the City of Whittlesea Council, which has formally opposed the project. Critics point to potential risks including air emissions, odour, increased traffic, visual impact and human health impacts, particularly given the site’s proximity to residential areas.
Community groups such as No Northern Incinerator and Friends of Merri Creek have accused Cleanaway of failing to properly consult locals before pushing ahead with its revised plans.
Whittlesea Councillors have urged the Victorian Government to reject the proposal outright, warning that doubling the facility’s scale will only intensify the potential impact on surrounding communities.
For Cleanaway, however, the Wollert project remains a key part of its strategy to find alternatives to landfill and to position Victoria as a leader in energy-from-waste technology.
The battlelines are now firmly drawn, with Wollert residents, local council and environmental groups bracing for another round of planning and regulatory battles when Cleanaway lodges its updated application.
