The Cities of Swan, Belmont, Kalamunda and the Shire of Mundaring have begun sending waste to the East Rockingham Waste to Energy Facility (ERWtE), designed to support the diversion of residual waste from landfill while recovering energy from waste that cannot be practically recycled or otherwise recovered.
Approximately 96% of the Councils’ waste taken to the facility is diverted from landfill by conversion to energy and the recovery of useful materials.
As well as the new arrangement providing environmental benefits, financial incentives are also anticipated as the cost of landfill rises – the waste to energy process involves recovering metals for recycling and the remaining ash potentially used to build roads and produce construction materials.
The Cities of Belmont, Kalamunda and the Shire of Mundaring began directing their general waste to the ERWtE site in July 2026, with the City of Swan commencing deliveries in August.
The ERWtE project addresses two major challenges facing Australia: delivering sustainable and affordable solutions for both electricity generation and waste management. The new facility aligns with the objectives of the WA Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030, which prioritises waste avoidance, increased recycling and resource recovery and reducing the amount of waste disposed of as landfill.
The Councils are playing an important role in supporting these objectives by working together to improve waste management outcomes and provide a long-term solution for residual waste generated across the Perth metropolitan area. Australia disposes over 23 million tonnes of waste to landfill every year, with Western Australia having the highest waste generation rate per capita coupled with the lowest recovery rate.
When fully operational, the East Rockingham facility will be capable of generating 29 MW of baseload electricity to the grid – enough to power more than 36,000 homes.
Stephen Cain, City of Swan CEO, said the City’s Strategic Community Plan 2025-35 includes a commitment to achieve resource recovery and minimise waste to landfill.
“By adopting this new process we’re actively diverting waste from landfill and supporting preservation of our natural environment.
“We’re pleased to be working alongside three of our neighbouring councils to move forward with this major recycling initiative.”
