Matraville incinerator

Council opposes building waste to energy facilities in Randwick City

Opal Paper Mill in Matraville.

Current situation

Despite new laws introduced in 2022 generally prohibiting  the construction of waste to energy facilities (incinerators) in the Sydney area, an options paper currently on exhibition (until 2 May 2025) by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) could change that.

Here's what Randwick Council is doing:

  • opposing any change that could potentially permit waste to energy in Randwick City;
  • making a submission to the NSW EPA;
  • meeting with the NSW Environment Minister;
  • preparing to commence a communications campaign should an adverse law change be made.

You may want to:

What you can do

Visit the NSW EPA website and take their survey by 2 May 2025. You can also email them at at energyfromwaste@epa.nsw.gov.au

Chronology

  • In 2019, waste company Suez and the Opal papermill teamed up to lodge a proposal (Planning Portal - Botany Cogeneration Plant application number SSD-10373) to construct the ‘Botany Cogeneration Plant’ at Matraville.
  • A three-year widespread and concerted community campaign, supported by Randwick Council and local state and federal MPs successfully opposed the plan.
  • On 8 July 2022, the NSW Government approved new laws prohibiting the construction of the proposed Matraville incinerator. Read Council's news update about it.
  • A community celebration including BBQ and live music was held on 5 November 2022 at Purcell Park to mark the decision.
  • In March 2025, the NSW EPA released an options paper proposing to change the definition of 'thermal treatment' which, if adopted,  could provide a planning pathway for incineration applicants such as the previous Matraville incinerator proposal.

Randwick Council’s position

Randwick City Council is strongly opposed to waste to energy facilities in Randwick City  given the considerable concern from the public for their health, the risk to the environment and local air pollution.

The Matraville cogeneration or waste to energy plant proposed to ‘process’ or burn hundreds of thousands of tonnes of processed waste each year to produce steam and electricity for the Opal paper mill.

What Suez and Opal propose at Matraville.

Why does Council oppose the proposal?

According to Suez’s own Scoping Report dated 2 September 2019, a waste to energy faciity at Matraville would:

  • Burn 165,000 tonnes of rubbish a year including plastic, textiles and furniture.
  • Transport 21 semi-trailer loads of rubbish to Matraville every day.
  • Result in a chimney stack being built 60m high – the same height as the Sydney Opera House.
  • Operate 24/7

In addition, there is a significant residential population located nearby with the closest properties on Partanna Ave being approximately 130 metres away.

Approximately 5,000 people live within 1km of the proposed incinerator, 110,000 people live within 5km and 581,000 people live within 10km.

Map showing population located near incinerator.

Videos

Latest news

Council resolutions

25 March 2025

RESOLUTION: (Mayor, Cr D Parker) that Council:

a) note that the Mayor has written on behalf of Council to the NSW Minister for Environment, The Hon Penny Sharpe MP, strongly opposing the proposed changes by the NSW EPA that if adopted could provide a pathway for a future Matraville incinerator proposal;

b) note that a meeting is planned with the NSW EPA to express our concerns about the proposal;

c) notes that Council staff have been authorised by the Mayor to prepare a submission to the consultation scheduled to close on 8 April 2025.

d) conveys a request from the No Matraville Incinerator community group requesting the NSW EPA extend the public consultation period by 60 days; and

e) authorises Council staff to prepare for consideration a public communication plan, campaign advocacy plan and accompanying resourcing strategy in the event an adverse law change is made impacting Matraville.

26 October 2021

RESOLUTION: (Da Rocha/Said) that Council:

  1. notes the failure of the NSW Government to categorically rule out the proposal for an incinerator at the Opal site in Matraville; and
  2. continues to support the “No Matraville Incinerator” campaign and the efforts of the Matraville Precinct Committee in opposing the proposal for an incinerator by installing “No Matraville Incinerator” banners on poles throughout the Randwick LGA, and brands Council’s green waste collection trucks with “No Matraville Incinerator” messaging.

28 September 2021

RESOLUTION: (Mayor, Cr  Said) that Council call on the Minister for Energy and Environment, the Hon Matt Kean MP to clearly stipulate that the Matraville incinerator is not of a type that could be considered to lead to a better environmental outcome and should not proceed based on the criteria in the Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) Energy from Waste Infrastructure Plan.

26 May 2020

RESOLUTION: (Mayor, Cr D Said) that Randwick City Council strongly oppose the proposal by the Opal’s (previously Orora) Paper Mill and Suez Group for the construction of an incinerator in Matraville and support local residents and the Matraville Precinct Committee in their campaign against the construction of a waste incinerator via Council’s social media channels, requesting meetings with the relevant ministers and requesting support from neighbouring councils.

26 August 2019

RESOLUTION: (Parker/Said) That Council:

  1. confirms it has been briefed on the Suez proposal for a commercial incinerator at the Orora site to generate electricity from waste and understands the proposal is at the feasibility stage;
  2. expresses concern that the proposal will potentially burn up to 160,000 tonnes of waste including glue and plastics as fuel per year;
  3. expresses concern that not all emissions will be captured;
  4. notes the lack of comparable cogeneration facility currently exists across NSW;
  5. notes that hundreds of residential homes are located within a 750m radius of the proposed site;
  6. acknowledges that the proposal will take the total number of truck movements at the Orora/Suez site up to 225 heavy vehicle movements per day; and
  7. resolves to make a submission into any future development application regarding the proposal and that this submission consider the community benefit, health impacts and additional truck movements at the site.
Last Updated: 2 April 2025
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