The Veolia organic waste facility, located in Bulla, 30km North of Melbourne, will use state-of-the-art Australian-made technology to turn thousands of tonnes of organic waste into high-grade composts and mulches.
The Bulla organic waste facility processes 85,000 tonnes of green organics, lawn clippings, garden waste and food scraps annually. The highly efficient facility will convert the otherwise landfill-bound waste into approximately 60,000 tonnes of high-grade composts (40,000T) and mulches (20,000T), which will, in turn, be sold to local garden centres (soil production and landscape companies), civil construction, horticulture, viticulture and our largest network of broad acre farmers producing our everyday food needs. The end product aims to increase the carbon within the soil to ultimately improve soil health.
The facility receives, processes and repurposes organic waste delivered by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and 11 participating councils in the north and west of Melbourne. The facility is currently contracted to handle the organic waste processing for the region until 2027 and expects to continue its work returning organic material to the environment well into the foreseeable future.
Capacity to process 85,000 tonnes per year
Accepting waste from 11 Melbourne region councils
Produces up to 60,000 tonnes of high-grade compost annually
About the process
Bulla Organics in-vessel composting system provides an efficient and environmentally conscious way of recycling food scraps and other organic waste. The facility uses 14 enclosed vessels to create the ideal conditions for pasteurisation and decomposition of the organic material.
Following initial screening and shredding, through carefully controlled aeration, moisture levels, and temperatures reaching 55°C or higher, pathogens are eliminated from the waste stream. The high heat pasteurises the material, allowing beneficial microbes to then break it down into a nutrient-rich compost product.
This soil conditioner can be used by farmers, landscapers, and home gardeners as a soil amendment, returning valuable nutrients to the earth in a sustainable cycle. In-vessel composting is a win-win, diverting organic waste from landfills while creating a useful agricultural product.
What type of waste does the site accept?
The Bulla Organics facility processes Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) for 11 councils. These green bin organics are typically made up of garden waste, grass clippings and food scraps.
How is the FOGO screened?
Once the organic material is delivered, it is mechanically agitated and sorted in the early stages to remove contaminants, it is then visually assessed and manually picked by our dedicated picking team to remove unwanted items like plastics and garden tools.
How is the FOGO pasteurised?
Screened material is shredded and placed in large vats where air is pumped through to encourage microbial bugs to break down the organics. The introduced air stimulates the bugs, encouraging them to break down the material. Their activity generates heat during this process. After an average of 5-7 days we can monitor and guarantee that we have pasteurised the material to meet Australian Standard 4454. This process is referred to as in vessel composting which uses aeration. During this process the organics are turned into nutrient rich compost which can be used by farmers and in other land use.
Is the finished soil conditioner safe for growing food crops?
Yes, the high-heat pasteurisation process eliminates pathogens and destroys weed seeds and other contaminants. The finished soil conditioner meets strict regulatory standards for safely amending agricultural soils used for growing food crops.
How long does the full composting process take?
What would usually take two months in a wind row, requiring management and turning we achieve in 5-7 days using the in-vessel system. We ensure that we achieve 76 hours of temperatures over 55 degrees celsius at a minimum. The Australian Standard is 72 hours to consider the product pasteurised.
Does the site accept plastic or compostable bags?
The site does not accept any type of plastic or compostable bags due to the potential safety and contamination risks they pose. Yes, this includes compostable bags as during the screening process plastic and compostable bags cannot be distinguished apart. They all have to be assumed to be plastic due to the contamination risk. The screened and separated items are disposed of appropriately. From a safety point of view, we can not see within the bags so they are also removed to reduce our risks to staff or the soil conditioner product.
CONTACT US
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