Resource Recovery 2040 (RR2040)
A roadmap for resource recovery in Cairns
VISIT THE RR2040 PROJECT WEBSITE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION
Cairns needs to reduce the amount of household waste that gets sent to landfill, to meet new resource recovery targets set by the Queensland Government, and to avoid paying a costly State levy.
The contents from general waste bins in Cairns are currently collected and delivered to the Advanced Resource Recovery Facility (ARRF) at Portsmith. Council's contract for the ARRF comes to end in 2026, providing an opportunity to review and plan for our future resource recovery needs.
Council's Resource Recovery 2040 project (RR2040) is developing a business case to identify how we can best meet the State's targets and the future needs of our community. The business case will consider all options, and through consultation with the community, identify the preferred resource recovery solution for Cairns.
The first stage of the Business Case Development Framework, the Strategic Assessment Report, has been completed. Upcoming stages will include an Options Analysis and will provide an opportunity for you to have your say on a preferred solution. The consultation process is expected to commence in mid-2023 with the business case to be finalised in mid-2024.
Please check this page for project updates.
Contact Information
For all enquiries about the Resource Recovery 2040 project, please email RR2040@cairns.qld.gov.au
In Cairns, the contents from household red and green-lid waste bins are collected and delivered to the Portsmith Residual Waste Transfer Facility, where materials are consolidated and transported to landfill on the Atherton Tablelands.
Contents from yellow-lid recycling bins are delivered to Council’s state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Portsmith.
For the 24/25 financial year the overall domestic recovery rate (diversion from landfill) for Cairns was 47%.
About the former Advanced Resource Recovery Facility (ARRF):
Until early 2025, Cairns’ general and green-lid waste was processed through the Advanced Resource Recovery Facility (ARRF) at Portsmith. The ARRF recovered a significant portion of the region’s waste and played an important role in reducing landfill for many years. Following a fire linked to hazardous materials, operations transitioned to a bulk waste transfer process.
This change provides Council with an opportunity to review and plan for future waste management and resource recovery solutions that continue to support sustainable outcomes for the Cairns region.
Council manages approximately 100,000 tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) collected through our kerbside collection (48,000 tonne from general waste bins, 12,000 tonne from recycling bins) and at Transfer Stations (40,000 tonne).
Council audits show that red and green lid general waste bins contain approximately:
- 60% food and garden organics
- 25% non-recoverable waste, and
- 15% comingled recyclables.
These figures show that there is room to improve our recovery rates in the future.
Last Updated: 24 November 2025
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