Qld biomass plant on the nose for residents

A proposed biomass power station has received objection from over 500 residents of Yatala, a township between Brisbane and Surfer’s Paradise.
Phoenix Power Recyclers has applied to expand its current compost and household waste service to develop a biomass generator. If successful, the generator would be in operation 24 hours a day, using heat and energy from composting organic waste to produce energy, making it the first of its type in Australia.
Residents in the area are concerned about their health and odours in the area if the application is successful.
Yatala Residents Alliance (YRA) spokesperson David Osborne said “We’re not against biomass plants, but this is too close for comfort and we don’t want its 30 metre chimney breathing over us all the time.” Mr Osborne is also worried that although the treatment plant is in an industrial area, it is only several kilometres from homes as well as the 12 schools and 11 childcare centres within 7km of the site.
Cavell Dorman from the YRA said the area already receives unidentified odours. “We’ve been having the most incredible problem with odours in this area,” she said. “It doesn’t seem that the authorities have been able to isolate
where these odours are coming from.”
The application submitted to the Gold Coast City Council asks approval to burn green waste, generating bio energy over a 24 hour cycle and to store hazardous materials, including 70 tonnes of flammable chemicals on the site.