Mirrabooka landfill to be closed to dumping of putrescible waste

1/5/97

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said that the Atlas landfill in Mirrabooka would be closed to the dumping of putrescible waste from today, in keeping with its environmental protection licence.

Putrescible waste is organic material such as kitchen scraps, grass clippings and tree prunings, which rot down and emit odorous gas.

Mrs Edwardes said the Atlas landfill site was unlined and located on sandy soil and could contribute to groundwater pollution if it continued to accept that type of waste.

"Atlas landfill has been the subject of community concern for some time," she said.

"In February this year the Department of Environmental Protection licensed the landfill under State environmental protection legislation.

"The licence is comprehensive and includes conditions to improve the operation of the site, such as air and water pollution control conditions, scaling of the surface and enhanced landfill gas recovery to improve odour control, and height and width constraints on the active disposal area."

A biodigestor plant has also been constructed at the Atlas site to treat waste to separate recyclables, produce methane gas for use in power generation and produce compost residue from putrescible waste.

The plant allows on-site separation of household waste. Organic material recovered in the process is shredded and pumped into digester tanks where it is mixed with a culture of anaerobic bacteria decomposers. After 20 days the material is sterilised and can be used as soil conditioner.

"From this morning, putrescible waste can only be treated on the site in the biodigestor. Waste that cannot be handled in the biodigestor will be directed to other facilities licensed to accept them," Mrs Edwardes said.

However, treated putrescible waste will not be placed in the landfill.

"The Department of Environmental Protection will continue to chair a community group involved in the development of the landfill licence. The group will also be consulted over the development of the biodigestor licence."

Mrs Edwardes said Atlas would now be capping existing cells of open dumping pits and implementing landfill gas controls. This would allow the site to stabilise, reducing ordurous gas emissions over the next six to 12 months.

Media contact: Diana Russell Coote 421 7777