A NOT-for-profit organisation is operating from a former Wangara recycling facility while the City of Wanneroo decommissions the site.
Resource Recovery Australia (RRA) subsidiary Soft Landing recently launched its mattress recycling operations at the facility.
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READ NOWThe social enterprise provides employment and up-skilling for people experiencing barriers to entering the workforce and will ensure more than 30,000 mattresses are kept out of landfill in WA each year.
It has used part of the Motivation Drive lot, which houses the former materials recycling facility (MRF), since January at no cost.
Soft Landing approached the City in mid-2015 to seek temporary storage at the site, with the purpose of recycling mattresses in the longer term.
The storage agreement was initially for two months and included provisions to extend it for one-month periods. A report by the City said this was to allow the City time to decommission the old plant and recycling equipment, which is expected to be finished by March, and consider the facility’s future.
At the August 16 meeting, council approved a 12-month lease to Soft Landing for use of a portion of the loading hall, first aid building and sea container at the site at a discounted cost of nearly $1500 per month.
The report said this would give the City the opportunity to receive revenue for use of the areas for the short-term while it considers the future of the whole facility.
“Once a decision is made on the future use of the MRF, consideration may be given to a long-term lease to Soft Landing should this be warranted,” it said.
RRA’s Andrew Douglas said the organisation was happy with the agreement.
“The City has been proactive in helping us operate in this underutilised facility,” he said.
“We are aware that the site will be decommissioned and entered into the agreement with council with full knowledge of this.
“We’ll be guided by council and how it sees best fit to use the asset for the community.”