We’re working on a number of projects to make our waste management centre even more efficient, environmentally-friendly and easier to use for customers.
We've allocated funds in the 2019-20 budget for a range of projects to improve our waste management centre. Some are long-term projects while others will be completed over the next 12 months.
We're building a treatment process for leachate – liquid waste that develops in the landfill – so that it can be safely discharged into the sewerage system.
Leachate is currently managed by evaporation, recirculation and spraying but because of the volume produced, these systems are no longer sufficient. Under the new process, the leachate will be treated on site to reduce its environmental impact.
Key components of the project include:
Part of the odour reduction program for the Waste Management Centre, the leachate treatment will help keep our facility at the forefront of environmental waste leadership.
We received grant funding of $2M from the NSW Environment Protection Authority to build a centre to separate construction and demolition waste.
The new ‘MRF” will involve a conveyor system that will enable us to recover recyclable dry waste such as bricks and steel that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Currently, we’re diverting only 25 per cent of this type of waste away from landfill but the completion of the MRF in late 2020 will significantly increase that rate to between 60 per cent and 80 per cent.
This will save a large amount of landfill space, extending the landfill’s life and assisting our overall efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the site.
In this financial year, we’ll build a stormwater retention system in the Northern Valley that will enable us to regulate and release storm water during heavy rain events.
This will not only reduce damaging erosion on the site, protecting a creek and the water eco system, but also provide options for developing land for future waste cells in the Northern Valley.
It will also provide a water storage that can be used for dust suppression and firefighting. Construction will start early in 2020 and is scheduled for completion mid-year.
Funding in the budget will enable the purchase of plant and equipment as well as administrative assets to help us meet regulatory targets in the year ahead.
The purchase of this equipment will provide environmental, social and economic benefits by helping to ensure the long-term future of the facility.