Weston Aluminium has lodged an Environmental Impact Statement with the NSW Department of Planning to expand operations at its Mitchell Drive site.

Fairfax Media reported in May, 2015, that the company wanted to set up a hazardous waste service to dispose of 2000 tonnes of pharmaceutical material and illicit drugs over a two-year-period – a move that NSW Police backed.

After testing its ability to treat the pharmaceutical and illicit drug material, Weston Aluminium has applied to build a permanent thermal waste management facility to treat a broader range of hazardous waste.

It would burn environmentally troublesome material such as clinical waste, pathogenic substances, pharmaceutical waste, cytotoxic substances, solvents and paints, pitch sludge residues, oily rags, documents and hard drives, quarantine wastes, and illicit materials, including drugs.

“The thermal waste treatment plant would provide a disposal option for a variety of wastes that cannot be disposed of via other means and required destruction for environmental and community health reasons,” the EIS noted.

“Thermal treatment facilities within NSW are greatly limited. Few other suitable management options are available for some of these wastes (eg biomedical or quarantine).”

Weston Aluminium managing director Garbis Simonian said it could create about 10 new jobs.

Mr Simonian said there was a need for the facility, because only one other “problem waste” incinerator existed in NSW, in Sydney, which was not coping with a growing population.

“As for technology and emission control, we will be using the best available with automated feeding, shredding and multiple emission treatment with lime dosing and activated carbon treatment at the bag house,” he said when asked about how the plant would be environmentally conscious.

The Department of Planning will work closely with NSW Health and the Environmental Protection Authority to review the plan.

Visit www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au to look at the Weston Aluminium proposal or lodge a submission. The plan will be on public exhibition until October 24.