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Parkes Energy Recovery
January Update

January Update
News and resources | Parkes Energy Recovery January Update

Good afternoon

Happy new year, I hope 2026 has started well for you.

We are back and ready for a big year where we will be able to answer many of the questions we’ve been hearing as we finalise and publish our Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

As I mentioned late last year, we submitted our Scoping Report to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure in November, marking the first step in the EIS process.

We understand the Minister is seeking advice from the Independent Planning Commission as he decides on the most appropriate pathway to assess this proposal.

Our Scoping Report provides further detail of the proposed facility, and as the planning process is confirmed by the NSW Government, we will keep you updated with all the information and what it means for you.

You may have also seen that Parkes Energy Recovery has welcomed Cleanaway as the waste management specialist for the project.

For the community, this change will not mean any significant difference to the facility we are proposing. What it will mean is that the project will benefit from Cleanaway’s wide range of experience and services.

As the year begins, we look forward to engaging with the community and sharing more detailed information as it becomes available, including outcomes from technical assessments.

Don’t forget, our community information centre is up and running and we encourage you to stop by (open by appointment). Thank you to those who already have.  

If you’d like to speak with us, send us an email to book a time.

Until next month.

Ed Nicholas
Director, Parkes Energy Recovery

What’s happened this month?

Cleanaway has joined the project Consortium as the waste management specialist, bringing extensive experience that supports our focus on delivering a leading energy recovery facility for NSW.

Parkes Energy Recovery has submitted its Scoping Report to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. The Minister is seeking advice on the project and is expected to decide on the planning pathway soon.

Myth of the month

Myth

There are widespread closures of Energy-from-Waste facilities overseas.

Fact

Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities are not being widely shut down overseas – in fact, many countries are building new ones to reflect modern standards.

In many parts of the world, EfW is a core part of integrated waste management systems. Countries such as the UK, France, Denmark and Japan continue to invest in EfW to safely manage residual waste that cannot be recycled, while generating reliable energy.

So, what is closing overseas? Older facilities that have reached the end of their operational life or no longer meet modern environmental standards. In countries with mature EfW systems, facilities typically operate for 30–40 years before being retired as part of planned infrastructure renewal.

These ageing facilities are being replaced with next-generation EfW facilities, designed to meet some of the world’s strictest emissions controls and higher efficiency standards.

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