Wednesday, 4 August 2021

Melton water recycling plant

Mr McGHIE (Melton) (10:10): I rise today to speak on an innovation taking place in my backyard. In early July I had the opportunity to represent the acting Minister for Water, the member for Richmond, on a tour of Greater Western Water’s Melton water recycling plant. This tour was to highlight a pilot program, the result of a partnership between South East Water, Intelligent Water Networks, Greater Western Water and RMIT University. Together they are working on developing a unique pyrolysis technology to convert biosolids to biochar. In a nutshell, biosolids are widely used in agricultural settings and are the solid organic material left over after sewage treatment.

This innovation is the first of its kind in Australia. It uses high temperatures to destroy pathogens and microplastics in biosolids, creating biochar, which then can be re-used. This means that all by-products can be recycled and re-used, with nothing sent to landfill. This is important as it serves multiple purposes: it has the potential to eliminate the landfill waste across the water industry by creating safe, re-usable biosolids; it enables farmers in the agricultural industry to safely use biochar to improve soil health and fertility; and it helps to support Victoria’s renewable energy target of 40 per cent by 2025—not a sexy subject, but a great example of how like-minded organisations can work together with a shared commitment to sustainable solutions. This is a project that the community of Melton should be very proud of. It highlights that once again Victoria, and in particular the west, leads the way in innovation.