REDLANDS residents’ yellow-bin recycling is set to be processed through a new regional facility with an ambitious target of recovering at least 98 per cent of recyclable material.
Redland City Council will next week consider the first annual plan and 10-year strategy for Greenovate Pty Ltd, the joint waste venture formed with Logan and Ipswich councils to build and operate a Materials Recovery Facility.
The facility will receive, sort and process the contents of yellow-lid recycling bins from the three council areas.
Greenovate’s 2026-27 annual plan describes the coming financial year as its “foundational” first year of live operations, focused on safely starting the plant, stabilising performance and meeting contracts with the shareholder councils.
A key early challenge will be contamination — rubbish or unsuitable material placed in recycling bins — which can reduce the amount recovered and increase disposal costs.
Greenovate has set a target of keeping contamination below 5 per cent and says it will work with councils to improve source separation through education, feedback on contamination trends and monitoring of incoming material quality.
Its longer-term plan aims to build the facility into a South East Queensland circular-economy hub, capable of taking extra material from commercial customers and other local governments.
The strategy includes investigating an eco-industrial precinct around the facility, where complementary recycling and remanufacturing businesses could operate.
A plastics reprocessing plant and glass-beneficiation facility are also flagged as possible future projects, subject to financial feasibility.
Greenovate wants to double its incoming recycling volumes by its 10th year, develop markets within Australia for recovered materials and reduce dependence on exports.
Other performance measures include keeping collection-vehicle waits to 20 minutes or less, ensuring equipment is operational more than 85 per cent of the time, and making the proposed community education space available at least 95 per cent of the time.
The company also plans to establish an education room in its first year, allowing residents, schools and community groups to learn more about what happens after recycling is collected.
Greenovate was established in 2023 as a beneficial enterprise jointly owned by Redland, Logan and Ipswich councils. Its board is chaired by David Edwards, with Christopher White serving as interim chief executive officer.
The company’s detailed 2026-27 budget has been supplied to councillors confidentially and will remain closed to the public on commercial-in-confidence grounds.
Council officers have recommended Redland councillors note Greenovate’s annual plan, budget and 2025-35 strategic plan at the August 19 General Meeting.
