The agreement is a result of collaboration with neighbouring councils starting in 2018 and provides a sustainable solution for waste that cannot be practically recycled or otherwise recovered.

The agreement further strengthens the City's commitment to reducing waste sent to landfill and complements the rollout of its Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) kerbside service. Since introducing FOGO, the City has significantly reduced the amount of general waste requiring landfill disposal, with annual landfill volumes decreasing from approximately 19,500 tonnes prior to FOGO to around 7,000 tonnes per annum.

Under the new agreement, the remaining 7,000 tonnes of residual household waste will instead be processed at the East Rockingham Waste to Energy facility which commenced operations in July 2026. This will further reduce the City's reliance on landfill while supporting a more sustainable approach to waste management.

Mayor Margaret Thomas said the agreement represents another important step in the City's journey towards improved waste recovery and diversion.

“The results from our FOGO program are encouraging, with thousands of tonnes of waste diverted from landfill each year. This agreement is the next step in that journey, helping us manage the remaining waste more sustainably while working together with our neighbouring councils to find better long-term solutions for our community and the environment.”

When fully operational, the East Rockingham Waste to Energy facility will have the capacity to generate up to 29 megawatts of baseload electricity, enough to power more than 36,000 homes, while reducing the volume of waste being sent to landfill.

For more information about the East Rockingham Waste to Energy project, visit www.erwte.com.au