As part of Unitywater’s commitment to investing in smarter infrastructure that will help keep customer bills stable and deliver positive environmental outcomes, our organisation is progressing the development of a Bioresource Recovery Facility (BRF).
Using advanced cabonisation technology, the facility will use a high-temperature thermal process to convert biosolids (a by-product of wastewater treatment) into biochar, a nutrient-rich organic material that is odourless and charcoal-like in appearance.
The product can be used across a variety of applications including agriculture, soil remediation and consumer products, such as garden fertiliser.
Following an extensive two-year feasibility study, development of this facility presents a long-term reliable, cost-effective and safe solution to managing increasing waste volumes for our growing service region and will offset costs and support a circular economy.
Unitywater is currently investigating site options to locate the facility within our service catchment area. Over the next two years, the BRF will be purposefully designed and constructed to meet strict environmental and planning requirements and minimise impacts on community in relation to traffic, odour, air emissions, and noise.
Once constructed, the facility would include biosolids receival and storage infrastructure, drying and carbonisation equipment, material handling and storage for biochar and other supporting infrastructure. The proposed facility will process up to 70,000 tonnes of biosolids per annum.
