THE waste war at Swanbank has intensified, with long-time community campaigners calling for scrutiny of NuGrow’s own conduct as the company demands an independent review of Queensland’s environment regulator.
The dispute centres on whether a court decision giving NuGrow more time to complete its $29 million in-vessel composting system should also change the conditions governing which wastes its Ipswich operation can receive.
Community advocate and long-time campaigner Michelle Fillipi said the dispute raised serious questions about how long residents had waited for the company to address odour concerns.
“It is unfortunate that some recyclable materials may ultimately have to go to landfill,” Ms Fillipi said.
“However, this situation raises serious questions about why it has taken NuGrow so many years to adequately address ongoing odour concerns and invest in improved facilities and processes.
“It is difficult for the community to accept that action appears to be occurring only now that there may be financial consequences for the company.”
NuGrow said its facility upgrade was more than 80 per cent complete when the Planning and Environment Court ruled on September 30 to extend its compliance deadline under a Restraint Order to January 21, 2027.
The company said the system was originally required by 2028 before it volunteered to bring the project forward by two years.
Environment Minister Andrew Powell’s office said the court ruling and the Environmental Authority were separate matters, with the extension leaving the authority’s September 2026 deadline unchanged.
“Ipswich residents have endured offensive odours for far too long,” a spokesperson for Mr Powell said. “Our focus is on protecting community health and wellbeing and ensuring operators meet their obligations.”
Community advocate and Ipswich local Danielle Mutton backed the regulator’s decision to restrict the waste NuGrow could receive until the system was installed.
“NuGrow has until 21 January to install an enclosed in-vessel processing system,” Ms Mutton said.
“Until this occurs, DETSI, as the State regulator, has made the right decision in not allowing NuGrow to accept odorous waste streams.”
NuGrow claims the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation has contacted customers advising them not to send certain listed wastes to its facility and other Ipswich operators.
“Our communities are already swapping food for rent, they do not need to be slugged with more landfill tax in a time of need,” NuGrow Executive General Manager Jacob Wilson said.
Ms Mutton said residents’ health and wellbeing needed to be central to how waste operators managed their facilities.
“The State Government Health Inquiry made it clear that residents in affected communities have experienced adverse health and wellbeing impacts associated with odour emissions from some waste operators that have failed to adequately control their operations,” she said.
“It is time for all waste operators to put the community first by investing in best-practice odour management and complying with their environmental obligations.”
NuGrow wants the Minister to commission an independent review examining odour monitoring, public spending on legal proceedings and the department’s refusal to align its Environmental Authority with the court order.
“DETSI has made the right call. The Ipswich community has had enough of operators placing commercial interests ahead of the health, wellbeing and amenity of local residents,” Ms Mutton said.
