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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (30 November) . . Page.. 3536 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

The evaluation panel agreed that a transfer of ownership to the government at the end of the contract would achieve the optimum outcome for the territory. This option provides for the territory to set the disposal fees, retain the income stream and take over ownership of the facility at the end of the contract period.

It was considered appropriate that the territory should maintain a level of control and flexibility over the facilities to allow management of variables in order to ensure that outcomes are consistent with the no waste strategy. Following evaluation of the tenders, negotiations with the preferred tenderer, Thiess Services Ltd, were held to ensure the best outcome was achieved for the territory. The contract negotiated with Thiess will substantially improve the territory's waste management infrastructure.

Included in the contract is the design and construction of a resource management centre at Mitchell, the design and construction of a domestic small vehicle transfer station and improved recycling facilities at Mugga Lane landfill and the operation of the Mitchell and Mugga Lane facilities.

The emphasis of the contract is on resource recovery and reuse rather than disposal to landfill. For example, financial incentives are available to the contractor to achieve recovery targets of 10,000 tonnes of recyclable, or 2,000 tonnes of reusable. materials, which will treble the current recovery/reuse levels of these materials. Recovery facilities for reusable items, consisting of a 2,000 square metre building and extensive hard standing, will be constructed at both sites. At Mugga Lane this will augment the current Revolve facilities. The facilities will greatly increase the capacity to recover reusable materials, by minimising damage to items when they are dropped off as well as during storage.

Drop-off facilities will be provided at both Mitchell and Mugga Lane for a wider range of recyclable materials, including car batteries, gas cylinders and paint. Bulk drop-off and processing areas where the public can unload under cover will be provided at both sites. A construction and demolition material recycling facility that will accept and process construction and demolition waste is proposed for Mugga Lane.

At Mugga Lane the facilities will remove the general public from the tip face, thereby limiting potential problems with illegal scavenging. Sealed roads and covered drop-off areas for materials will provide higher levels of service and safety for the community.

The establishment of the new Mitchell centre will replace the general waste disposal system at Belconnen landfill, with Mugga Lane becoming the principal landfill for Canberra. The opening of the Mitchell resource management centre will mean that most Canberrans will be within 15 kilometres of one of the ACT's two major resource management centres.

The West Belconnen landfill will continue to accept tyres, asbestos, sullage and hazardous waste but will cease acceptance of all general waste once the Mitchell centre is operational. The existing recycling facilities-including those for green-waste paper, containers and oil-will continue to operate at the Belconnen site.

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