Waste and circular economy
EnergyCo has carried out a study into the expected amount and types of waste that will be produced by major infrastructure projects in and around the region. This will help identify gaps in existing infrastructure and opportunities for improved waste management and the promotion of circular economy (recycling) initiatives.
The study investigated:
Anticipated volumes of waste generated during construction, operation and decommissioning of renewable energy projects.
The current capacity of local waste facilities and whether they can handle the expected waste volumes.
How to improve recycling across the region to minimise environmental and economic impacts.
Key terms
Circular economy
An approach that reduces waste (such as that from constructing, operating, and decommissioning renewable energy projects) by reusing, repairing, and recycling materials to make the most of resources.
120,000 tonnes
of waste per year is currently generated by communities in the New England region. Community-generated waste is not expected to increase during the development of the REZ.
Key findings
Most waste will be generated during construction of major projects in and around the REZ. Key waste types include construction and demolition waste, organic waste, packaging and large items like wind turbine blades and solar panels.
Waste generation will increase in the region, driven primarily by general waste, along with construction and demolition waste from site development, roadworks, infrastructure installation, and ancillary activities.
Renewable energy-specific waste streams (such as solar panels, wind turbine blades and batteries) will contribute a smaller proportion of total waste but present greater management challenges due to their complexity and recycling requirements.
In the right recycling facilities, many materials like solar panels, batteries and metals can be recovered, reused or remanufactured. Initiatives like reverse logistics plans, new recycling infrastructure and producer responsibility schemes are critical to unlocking this value.
What we learned
Communities in the New England region currently generate around 120,000 tonnes of waste per year. Community-generated waste is not expected to significantly increase during the development of the REZ.
Without intervention the volume of waste generated from major projects is expected to exceed the existing capacity of local waste infrastructure, such as landfills, which are typically set up to manage residential wastes.
Few waste management facilities in the region are currently able to recycle materials from renewable energy projects like solar panels, batteries or wind turbine blades.
Local waste systems need to be upgraded to manage expected volumes and types of waste, especially during peak construction.
These upgrades may include:
Expanding capacity of local waste facilities
Infrastructure improvements, such as weighbridges and heavy vehicle access
Managing more complex waste types
Opportunities for REZ delivery
The REZ provides an opportunity to boost recycling, improve waste infrastructure and support long-term environmental and economic benefits for the region.
Councils and private operators will need more resources including equipment, staff and access to training to manage waste and to process new waste types like wind turbine blades or lithium batteries. Assistance could help councils and waste facility operators upgrade facilities and access resources for waste management and improving recycling region wide.
Waste management is critical to the delivery of the REZ, EnergyCo will continue working closely with councils and energy project developers to develop solutions for managing waste.
The opportunities may include:
Developing strategies and frameworks to align with NSW circular economy goals.
Developing a regional waste facility database and a digital system to track project waste and recovery and coordinate waste planning across the region.
Coordinating project decommissioning schedules to improve recycling efficiency and ease pressure on local facilities.
Working with councils to identify where infrastructure upgrades are needed most.
Help shape initiatives for your local area
EnergyCo is holding a community feedback period to hear your thoughts on local issues and priorities for REZ delivery.
Don’t miss the chance to submit your feedback by Friday 20 February, 2026.
Next steps
EnergyCo will consider the study findings in addition to community and stakeholder feedback. EnergyCo will then work with other government agencies, energy project developers and local councils to develop potential community benefit initiatives and strategies to manage impacts for the New England REZ.
EnergyCo will provide regular updates to the community on the progress of this work, including sharing the findings from the community feedback period in a report early next year.