Controversial Lara incinerator fails to ignite
By Bianca Hall and Kieran Rooney
A proposed waste incinerator in Victoria’s west, fiercely opposed by locals and both state and federal MPs, has failed to secure government approval.
The large waste-to-energy facility earmarked for Lara would have been the first in a so-called “ring of fire” of projects circling Melbourne, and would have burnt about 400,000 tonnes of waste every year, generating 35MW of electricity.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Prospect Hill International waste-to-energy plant in Lara.
The project was stridently opposed by residents, state Labor MP Ella George – who described the project as lacking any “social licence” – and federal MP and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, among others.
On Wednesday, Recycling Victoria announced it had issued seven licences to energy facility operators to process a capped maximum of 2.35 million tonnes of waste a year.
It said the cap was designed to prevent over-reliance on waste-to-energy incineration as a solution to the state’s waste disposal.
The seven licences were granted to Cleanaway Operations, HiQ EFW Victoria, Knox Transfer Station Pty Ltd (with a location to be confirmed), Liquid Power Co Pty Ltd, Melbourne Water Corporation, Recovered Energy Laverton Pty Ltd and Zerogen Holdings Pty Ltd.
Most of the projects were still at feasibility stage, Recycling Victoria said.
Under laws Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio introduced into parliament in 2022 establishing Victoria’s waste-to-energy scheme, the amount that could be burnt was to be capped at 1 million tonnes a year. The cap is now 2.5 million tonnes per financial year.
The Lara facility, north-east of Geelong, would have burnt a combination of residential, commercial and industrial waste.
Residents, the Geelong Chamber of Commerce and the City of Greater Geelong raised concerns the plant would generate offensive odours and air pollution.
Marles, the MP for Corio, wrote to Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny in July to support the community in opposing the project.
“It is paramount to note the facility would be located only 1200 metres from Lara’s town centre, with the closest home a mere 350 metres away,” Marles wrote. “It is clear the community does not support this project.”
Bellarine MP Alison Marchant, Corangamite MP Libby Coker, Geelong MP Christine Couzens and Geelong business leaders also opposed the project.
Richard Bisinella, a businessman in Lara who personally funded a legal fight at VCAT, welcomed the development.
“We have said all along the science does not stack up, and we are delighted to see common sense may be prevailing.”
George issued a statement on Wednesday welcoming the “great outcome”.
“Hundreds of local residents contacted me with their concerns, and their message was loud and clear: local residents do not support a big incinerator,” she said.
D’Ambrosio has also opposed a similar project close to her northern Melbourne electorate, despite shepherding the state’s waste-to-energy strategy through parliament in 2022.
In November, she signed a petition to state parliament sponsored by Labor MP Bronwyn Halfpenny opposing a waste heat-to-energy proposal in Wollert, neighbouring her seat of Mill Park.
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