Kurri Kurri Integrated Resource Recovery Centre

I live at 1 Gingers Lane Weston and when we purchased and built there in 2001, there were a few heavy industries in Mitchell Avenue, and we knew and accepted this when we built, they had been there for many years.
When the Central Waste Plant went in it was a relatively small plant, and over the years it has progressively increased in size, with no consultation with local residents, now with the building of its large wall as it currently stands and the acquirement’s of other properties in front of its current location, to the installation of the igloo sitting on top of shipping containers with lights hanging from the roof, housing skip bins, and of an afternoon, when I get home, I can hear the placement of the steel skip bins, not sure what they are being moved with or from what height they are being dropped from, but it is very loud and the loud beeping from reversing of the machinery, is very off putting each afternoon, I understand that safety if a very important aspect in the workplace, however the residences who were in situ first, liked their peaceful life style, but during the course of the past few years this has changed.
I believe that they are going to develop the land on the other side of Gingers Lane, behind where we live, for more residential housing, I wonder if the developers are aware of the proposed expansion of this current plant?
Central Waste have stated that they want to increase the maximum amount of material that can be processed at the facility from 90,000 tones per year to 450,000 tones per year, and increase operation from 6 days a week to 7 days, but the 7th day will be for maintenance activities, I wonder what these activities will entail? relocating bins, cleaning bins, forklift work, cleaning out the hoppers?
I worked out: -
• 90,000 ton over 6 days a year = 313 days equating to 287.54 ton per day.
• 450,000 ton over 7 days a year = 365 days equating to 1232.88 ton per day.
That is a significant increase in operation, however in the document that was sent to some people, not all that live close by, it does not state the hours that the plant will run to achieve these targets, will the plant have to run extended shifts to reach these targets?
The company is ISO certified, 9001 Quality Management & 14001 Environmental Management, with the proposed expansion, they should reapply for their certifications as their business structure will change significantly, I wonder if the EPA has looked at the changes that have taken place over the past years and if it has had any impact on Swamp Creek, behind the facility, or has it just slowly happened ? When you read into their ISO certification, it mentions that they are certified to handle asbestos, to be able to achieve this ISO certification you have to prove how you have handled it though the current plant, but on their flyer, they say that they do not accept or process asbestos?
The next concern that I have is the infrastructure, I believe that Hart Road is RMS and also Government Road, however Mitchelle Avenue and Styles Street are council roads, the forklifts that drive onto the council roads to unload bins of truck are they registered to do so?
The trucks that will be bringing this waste to site, do we now what the tare weight of the trucks will be and the tare weight of the trailers and the weight of the loads that they will be bringing to site, would the NHVR be a part of this process for them to be able to access the council roads ? then we have the issue of turning out of Mitchell Avenue onto Government Road to get back onto the Hunter Express way, that intersection is an issue at the best of times, local residents pleaded with the local council to build a roundabout at the cross roads of Gingers Lane - Hart Road - Government Road, due to the number of accidents that were happening once the Hunter Express Way opened, and Gingers Lane became the access road, the round about that is in place is very small, but it is better than nothing, however watching semi-trailers navigate the tight turning circle, is concerning, as there is a power pole on the left side and it is a near miss each time, so these high bin trailers may not make the turn back to Hart Road easily. I do not want to hear reversing beepers all hours of the night, nor do I want to hear the crushing machine operating during the night, my husband left for work one morning at 2am and the noise coming from that area was unbelievable, he drove past and said that they were working & when I called the council, they said that they are not supposed to be operating 24hr's yet, when they say "Yet" is it a matter of time ??
I am no longer able to leave my bathroom window open during the day, the plumes of dust that we see some mornings are unbelievable, this has all previously been reported to the local council, but seems to have fallen on deaf ears?

Last week we had a visit from a person representing NSW Government, regarding the "Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater" as it happens, we have these birds in my neighbour's yard, they have been here for many many years, they nest and live in his bird of paradise plants, with the dust that this plant creates currently and the amount that it will create if allowed to expand this will impact these birds, we do not need to wipe out a Critically Endangered species, if the HEZ Hunter Economic Zone was put on hold due to engaged birds and frogs, and that is out in the bush area, then this plant should not be allowed to increase until these birds have been investigated and all residents have been notified, I don't believe that all residents had been notified, as I for one had not received the most recent letter from Lindsey Blecher, advising that we only had till December 10 to object to the project, I am sure that there are many other residents that would feel the same, there are also a lot of older residents that are not tech savvy and cannot action to this portal.
I invite you to visit our homes and see how close we are to this plant and spend a day here when it is in full operation, with the wind blowing, to see the dust that is created or nighttime, when it is still and then all you will hear is the noise of the crushing plant and reversing beepers.
If the government still wants to go ahead with this expansion, then I suggest that they look at purchasing the properties of the residents that live within a 5-kilometer radius as the value of their homes will be impacted, their health physical will be impacted, their mental health will be impacted, they will not be able to sleep as they once did due to noise and that will have a negative impact on their working life not to mention safety at work.
There is a lot more to be consider here than lining the pockets of a few people/shareholders, if they want to run a rock crushing plant, go to a full industrial place that is not surrounded by housing, and remembering that the housing and now the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater and local people were here first.

I would like to make an objection against the Development of Central Waste Plate Pty Ltd has submitted primarily their expansion to receive and process up to 450,000 tonnes pa. This is a huge expansion on the current site, which is only receiving and processing up to 90,000pa and will have a huge impact on local and state road networks, environmental impacts and on the physical environment of residents in the vicinity of the site of which I am one as I live within 500m of this proposed expansion.
The site located a 1,8 and 10 Styles Street and 145 & 147 Mitchell Avenue, Kurri Kurri runs directly into my street 7 Tenth Street Weston. The increase traffic from the site and noise will have a negative impact on residents in the area none of which are addressed in this development proposal.
The increased number of movements of trucks in and out of the waste facility will have a huge impact of the road network including on Mitchell Avenue, Hart Road, Government Road and Newcastle Link Road. This 400% increase in truck movements will increase wear and tear on the road network which is already under strain. These are both local and State Roads including a bridge that is already in need of some repair on Government Road. I cannot see anything in the development application where the business is willing to contribute to road maintenance or repairs and upkeep of the road network that it will be contributing increasing road strain to.
The site is located in heavily surrounded by local bushland and I believe doesn’t adequately address bushfire plans, over previous years both sites on either side of the Centre Waste have had serious fires which have also set fire to surround bushland. I do not believe the plan address the risks with which increase tonnage processed at the site would present.
I am also concerned that due to the increased tonnage at the site would have huge environment impacts of the natural environment in the natural body water at the back of the site.
The Waste Facility is in close proximity to homes my own being less than 500m from the site I have concerns with the amount of traffic which will be going to and from the site 24/7 and the noise that this would generate. The site was first given a change in hours during covid due to changes in operation they have used this to their advantage and change their hours to suit their own production since and now intend to operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week. This is unacceptable being so close to homes and allows for no rest for residents.
This development application was put in in late November with little to no consultation to the communication I checked with my neighbours and there was no communication from the company to inform about this development. It was only because I have previously raised objections to a development at this site that I was even informed that the application was submitted.
The community have not been given adequate time to respond. As many people in the community are elderly and or live in a low socio-economic area, they do not have access to computers and have not been able to have the access to be able to lodge a submission against the development.
It would be very easy to say that many in the community would not even be aware of the development or even have any knowledge that the company was even trying to increase the amount of waste at the site as they have not even been informed. There have been no community meetings, no newsletters letters, no letter box drops or even social media messages.

Photo: From site in Mitchell Avenue to Tenth Street where housing is on Government Road and Tenth Street so you can see how close housing is to the site.

I completely support the project.

This upgrade will make significant noise and odour impacts to the neighbouring residential area.
This has been made evident after the previous upgrade the facility received, which has resulted in more regular noise and the foul smell of a garbage tip being emitted after periods of rain and humidity.
I have tried reporting these incidents but the council have responded with it being an EPA matter and the EPA have told me it is to be reported to council.
This has ment that the impact of the previous upgrade on the neighbouring community has gone unreported and not evident to the planning commission when reviewing the current proposal.
I would like to remind stake holders and board members this is neighbouring long term residential areas.
They have chosen to purchase and develop a waste facility in this location instead of acquiring land away from long term developed residential areas. Its not acceptable for the council to be approving projects that create such significant impact to large numbers of the community both in lifestyle and potential economic impact to land prices.
This is a major upgrade both in volume of materials and operating hours. It will have significant impacts to residents in the area. Such facilities should not be allowed to be built so close to residential areas and should be developed well away from existing developed areas. This is the councils responsibility to protect their community and should not have been allowed to even get to its current size.

After reading through the planning departments impact study on this development application I would challenge a negligance not to include the impact this monster rock crushing plant will have on neighbouring residential properties especially with 24 hour operations with machinery reverse beeping ,trucks at all hours dumping the waste.
And to claim locals have been notified of this or invited to an open day is a 100% lie, at best 2 locals had receoved it in there mail box , very unfair and disrespectful for all the locals this will negatively impact.
It smells of political corruption being fast tracked across the line without proper community consultation.
The recent Snowy Hydro white elephant power station that runs on diesel and has seen communities as far as Merewether suffer from the plume fallout should cast a warning not to repeat the same mistakes that are causing health problems and an unfair burden locals that I would suggest any politician would not entertain being developed near there own homes.
Who looks out for the people in this monopoly where a greedy owner is the only person to profit and prosper at the cost of the local homeowners!

Good afternoon,

I live in close proximity to the development. I have raised concerns with Cessnock City Council over the zoning as heavy industrial in the footprint of this Central waste facility that came to our area approximately 8 years ago, responses to my concerns were replied with ensuring strict protocols to limit noise and hours of operation not to be beyond 6pm weekdays only and often referred that zoning is a State government planning issue which I have also exhausted all avenues known to me with unfair outcomes resulting in these out of town developments going ahead far too close to existing housing.

This particular operation trading as Central Waste from The Central Coast has provided nothing short of obnoxious noise ,pollution and very little in consideration to the negative impact it has had on us locals with my repeated visits to the business and phone calls from myself to lodge complaints after repeatably being awoken from trying to sleep with their management team smirking and replying 'get used to it it's going to get worse soon as we have acquired adjoining property and are going to grow bigger than in its current form' I have this conversation / encounter on a video recording, they have heavy rock crushing equipment that pulps various materials that contain silica, dust with constant plumes that encroach on neighbouring properties such as my own please see attached photos of the dust plume being generated from this operation that is located within a stone's throw less than a 150 metres to residential zoned homes along Government Rd Weston this is closer to our properties than most of the other businesses in the Mitchell Avenue area. The material arrives at the Styles St location at all times the majority later in the evening as they rush to dump the skip bins off by the close of the day via private trucks as well as Central waste owned trucks carrying the waste in skip bins or larger semi-trailers often uncovered trailing more dust before it arrives at the plant this creates unbearable noise with compression braking that already contributes to traffic hazards with local traffic often barged out the way by these continuous trucks that travel from the Hunter Expressway over the bridge on Government Rd through the Mitchell Avenue/ Government Rd intersection and back in forth through a small round about myself and other locals rallied to have implemented as our local traffic was inundated with traffic influx created by the opening of the expressway this alleviated the problem a little but is struggling to cope with traffic now at present and is not fit for the purpose of these trucks and they're volume as it was built by the D.M.R in 1972 for local traffic only and has little public pedestrian safety at present .Towards the end of the businesses operating day these trucks constantly bombard the property at Styles St with a constant loud thud and piercing bang from the skip bins one after another as they are dumped from the trucks to the public Styles Street Cul de sac on the road, yes on the public Street I have this on video if you would like to see it with no controls in place for public safety or to reduce the noise as these skip bins bombard the pavement .Then we have the machinery with reversing beepers constantly sounding while neighbouring properties should be peacefully enjoying a breeze from an open window or enjoying a moment on the veranda this is no longer possible as is airing washing on the clothes line or cleaning our car or swimming pool while this business settles operates as the sedimentary dust settles and I also have concerns over the material being processed how can we be guaranteed/assured there is no asbestos being sent through this plant?

The dust fall out has negatively affected the creek that runs along the property boundary from sedimentary dust fowling the once pristine Creek that local kids and the wildlife swam in prior to this business which has resulted in nearly all the tree's along this area being killed from the pollution and the creek has now turned into a putrid swamp and damage continues to our property with our cars ,pool and all surfaces of our home covered in dust.
I know this has been granted State significance but this purely in the wrong area with its close distance to existing and future housing and the truth is the meagre amount of local jobs created is feeble and the majority of trucks are Central Coast, Newcastle this business should be moved to another suitable location at present let alone being permitted to grow in hours of operation, any operation hours outside of existing would be pure hell and unacceptable, I would like to meet with a representee to go through all of these concerns mentioned as there is no way this proposal should be considered in this location, make no mistake this is a hard core rock concrete crushing processing plant of hazardous material and no matter how high of a concrete wall is constructed noise and dust will funnel out and encroach / impact our mental and physical health our homes value and this is an area native to the endangered Honey Eater bird and various other species that alone should be important enough to outline the poor location for this species that is already fighting survive 200/400 are known to exist and they are here I have photographs of them in this area at my home and along the Creek I have seen them,our local pub hathe old Empire hotel has a giant mural painted on the side of funded by the wildlife conservation of NSW,I have recently spoken with John Ethan about my concerns of this development he is the National Resource Manager who gave the approval for the mural .

Cars from the business have no adequate designated parking on the Central Waste site and as such (see attachments) they park on the footpath with pedestrians ,school children etc are forced to walk on the dangerous road.

There is a lot to consider before permitting approval for any expansion of this business I would recommend it to find a more suitable area where local residents and The Regent Honey Eater are not negatively and unfairly impacted.

Kind regards
Greg Woolley

We do not need a concrete crushing plant to be operational 24/7 in Mitchell Avenue Kurri Kurri considering how close it is to housing both on the Kurri Kurri and Weston sides.

The noise at night time when we are trying to sleep will be horrific! Noise from this area already carries across to where we live and I imagine crushing concrete will be extremely noisy especially at night when everything else is reasonably quiet.

Not only that, the beeping of the trucks reversing and any other noise commonly made by a crushing plant will be more noticeable at night as it will be amplified by the quietness.

The central waste disposal trucks drive around uncovered with dust flying everywhere. We don’t need this happening 24/7 among other things too.

I strongly oppose this submission as do many other locals and they conveniently forgot to notify us too. Thankfully our neighbours notified us in time.

I wonder how many other “locals” they conveniently forgot to advise!

Regards
Rachael McGee