Background
A number of waste facilities are located in close proximity in the Dardanup area and include the following sites currently licensed by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act). Details of the premises within the ‘Dardanup Waste Precinct’ (the Precinct) are as follows:
| Current Licence | Occupier | Premises | Activities | Approved capacity (tonnes per annual period) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L8904/2015/1 | Cleanaway Solid Waste Pty Ltd | Banksia Road Landfill | Category 61: Liquid waste facility Category 64: Class II or III putrescible landfill | 3,000
350,000 |
| L8888/2015/1 | Shire of Dardanup | Shire of Dardanup Transfer Station | Category 62: Solid Waste Depot | 5,000 |
| L7089/1997/11 | Fitonia Pty Ltd | TJ Depiazzi & Sons - Composting facility | Category 67A: Compost manufacturing and soil blending Category 70: Screening etc of material | 120,000
30,000 |
| L8746/2013/2 | Bunbury Harvey Regional Council | Wellington group of Councils Compost Facility | Category 67A: Compost manufacturing and soil blending | 20,000 |
| L9272/2020/1 | Water Corporation | Dardanup Wastewater Treatment Plant | Category 54: Sewage facility | 165 m3 per day |
DWER has received a number of complaints from the community in relation to emissions and the method of operation of some premises within the Precinct.
Updates on key activities relating to premises within the Precinct are detailed below.
Banksia Road Landfill
Applications and decisions
On 7 April 2021, Cleanaway Solid Waste Pty Ltd (Cleanaway) submitted a works approval application to construct additional landfill cells 12A, 9 and 10 at their landfill facility at Lot 2 on Plan 65861 Banksia Road Crooked Brook (Banksia Road Waste Management Facility. This proposal was also referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) by Cleanaway. The EPA, following public consultation, determined to assess the proposal and is currently awaiting additional information from Cleanaway to undertake their assessment. DWER’s assessment of the works approval application under Part V of the EP Act will be undertaken in parallel to the EPA’s assessment. Stakeholders will be consulted shortly: however, DWER cannot make a determination until the EPA has completed its assessment.
On 28 October 2021, DWER granted approval for waste to be disposed into the newly constructed Cell 8 following the department’s assessment of Cleanaway’s compliance documentation and satisfaction that the Cell was constructed in accordance with the requirements of Cleanaway’s licence. *
Licence Review
On 28 October 2021, DWER completed a review of the licence for the Banksia Road Landfill which consisted of a comprehensive assessment of all activities undertaken on the premises to consider their acceptability, and to update regulatory controls on the licence.
DWER’s licence review determined that the activities on the premises can be effectively controlled through amended and additional licence conditions that mitigate risks to the environment and public health.
In completing the review DWER sought comment and input from the community, regulatory stakeholders and technical experts. The department would like to acknowledge the valuable input provided by these parties.
DWER’s Decision Report, including a Non-Technical Summary and the amended licence is available on the respective licences and work approvals web page.*
*It should be noted that DWER has consolidated its decision making on the Cell 8 application and licence review into one Decision Report and one amended Licence.
Bunbury Harvey Regional Council Composting Facility
The Bunbury Harvey Regional Council (BHRC) operates a composting facility at Lot 1 on Diagram 65861, Lot 1 Banksia Rd. Following investigations into increased odour related complaints from the Dardanup area and the findings from DWER inspections of premises in the Precinct, in 2020 the Department completed a risk-based review of the facility’s licence (now L8746/2013/2). DWER issued an amended licence which imposes tighter controls on the composting process to mitigate odour emissions from the premises.
The composting activities being undertaken by BHRC at Banksia Road are intended to be relocated to BHRC’s premises in Stanley Road once a new enclosed composting facility has been constructed on that site.
DWER conducted a compliance inspection at the premises in February 2021 following an increasing number of odour complaints. Inspectors issued two environmental field reports in relation to two minor breaches of licence conditions.
On 21 April 2021 a follow-up compliance inspection was conducted at the facility. The Inspection identified non-compliance with two licence conditions. DWER is engaging with BHRC to ensure corrective actions are implemented.
On 12 July 2022, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) renewed the BHRC composting facility licence L8746/2013/2. Additional controls were included on the renewed licence relating to odour, fire risk management, fire-fighting infrastructure and windblown waste.
Dardanup Wastewater Treatment Plant
On 19 August 2021, DWER granted a licence for a Category 54 (Sewage facility) licence to Water Corporation, who have been operating the Dardanup Wastewater Treatment Plant since 1996. The plant was previously registered under the EP Act.
Compliance matters
DWER officers visit the precinct regularly to undertake compliance inspections. During these visits, department officers have met with members of the community in relation to concerns they have raised or as part of ongoing investigations into these facilities.
DWER has prosecuted Cleanaway three times in recent years for breaches of their Banksia Road Landfill licence as follows:
- In November 2020, Cleanaway pleaded guilty to two licence breaches relating to the incorrect storage of drill muds and incorrect use of shredder floc as cover material and were fined $11,000 and $14,000 respectively.
- On 30 May 2022, Cleanaway pleaded guilty to a further licence breach relating to the incorrect use of shredder floc as cover material and were fined $18,000.
- On 17 November 2022, Cleanaway pleaded guilty to the acceptance of hydrocarbon contaminated waste from a waste oil recycling centre in breach of licence conditions. Cleanaway accepted the waste for landfilling without the required supporting documentation to demonstrate the waste met the waste acceptance criteria specified on their licence. Cleanaway were fined $18,000.
An improvement in compliance, management and operations at the premises was noted by DWER during inspections undertaken in November 2020 and August 2021. DWER will continue to inspect and monitor activities at the premises to ensure compliance is being maintained.
More information
Any concerns regarding the operations of licensed premises within the precinct can be reported to DWER’s 24-hour Pollution Watch Hotline on 1300 784 782 or you can submit an online report.
For more information about appeals, visit the Office of the Appeals Convenor website.
Shire of Dardanup Planning Department can be contacted on (08) 9724 0000
Reviewed: November 2022
