THE war on waste has copped another blow, with rising costs causing a stink for council's wallet.
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The cost of building the city's new Organic Waste Recycling Facility has left Tamworth Regional Council scrambling for other options.
Council's general manager Paul Bennett said the facility, which is slated for 284 Gidley Road, is now expected to cost close to $30 million, a dramatic increase from the initial $12 million budget.
"It is cost prohibiting," he said.
"It's not completely back to the drawing board, but it's certainly a re-think."
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Mr Bennett said council is now exploring options in the private sector to help cut down costs.
"There's some great bio-energy companies out there at the moment, who can take some of the waste streams, which might change the scope of the work we do."
The decision to look elsewhere comes after mayor Russell Webb told the Leader council turned down all tender applications for the facility at a closed meeting.
It was anticipated once a contract was awarded, a decision would then be made to swap red bins to a fortnightly pick-up following a trial of 250 homes, while green bins would go to weekly.
Plans for the facility were modified and re-submitted to council last year, after residents raised concerns about the proposed waste station.
Twenty-two objections were submitted from the public following a community consultation period.
Concerns were raised that the biofilter, which is used to filter, treat and discharge air from composting tunnels and receival sheds, would not be big enough to accommodate the amount of waste being processed at the facility.
The new plans submitted to council propose increasing the size of the biofilter by 30 per cent and replacing a maturation pad with an impenetrable surface.
Mr Bennett said Tamworth required a different kind of "methodology" to other locations due to the number of meat processing plants.
"We've got to use some different methodology to make sure we deal with that different type of waste in a particular way," he said.
"But every time we've gone through the process, it's gotten more expensive."
Council is required by the state government to have a plan in place for organics by 2030, when they will no longer be allowed in landfill.
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