Using curbside, commercial and biowaste from its poultry industry, the City of Greater Bendigo is building a business case that could see the introduction of Australia’s first multiple stream waste to energy facility.

 

The economic and environmental initiative is being undertaken with the help of Masters students from the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Business & Economics who are conducting a feasibility analysis on the project .

 

Brian Gould, Manager of the Economic Development Unit from the City of Greater Bendigo, said in a community where the poultry industry dominated, such a facility could all but abolish the hazards and costs associated with biowaste disposal and ease the burden on the city’s landfill site which was nearing capacity.

 

“This project couldn’t come at a better time for us.  As we develop our strategy for waste related activity, the students will be contributing to what could be a first in Australian environmental waste management and we hope it could lead to further collaborations” he said.

 

The student project, led by program manager Sue Elston from the Faculty of Business and Economics Career Centre, is part of the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Business & Economics Volunteer Business Practicum, a program that allows students to provide a  contribution to a business or community while gaining work experience.

 

The students will work with the City of Greater Bendigo Council and present their findings to the council and their peers this month.

 

More information is here.