New restrictions on South Cardup landfill

02/09/04 Environment Minister Judy Edwards said today the State Government would review its landfill policy as a result of the determination of appeals in relation to the South Cardup facility.

02/09/04
Environment Minister Judy Edwards said today the State Government would review its landfill policy as a result of the determination of appeals in relation to the South Cardup facility.
"This is in response to community concerns about the operating licence and a works approval for new landfill cells," Dr Edwards said.
"While there is no current evidence of offsite environmental impacts from the landfill,independent reviews by both CSIRO and Stass Environmental have recommended further monitoring and investigations, which are currently being undertaken by the landfill operator. As a precaution I have placed further restrictions on the operation while these investigations continue."
These include:

  • restricting the Stage Two works approval to one landfill cell rather than two;
  • the cessation of the Stage One landfill as soon as the new landfill cell can accept waste;
  • the operator to prepare a contingency management plan and closure management plan, which must be independently reviewed;
  • the operator to undertake more frequent groundwater monitoring;
  • the operator to prepare a waste acceptance management plan with provisions for periodic independent auditing of waste acceptance practices; and
  • restricting the type of waste accepted into the new landfill cell to that equivalent to Class II criteria, following agreement by the landfill operator.
The Minister said that as part of the ongoing regulation and management of the site, she had also asked the Department of Environment to:
  • review the current reporting requirements within the licence;
  • review the current monitoring program including bore locations and parameters; and
  • undertake periodic audits on waste acceptance into the South Cardup landfill.
"These measures, in conjunction with restricting the licence, should assure the community that any potential environmental risks are minimised," Dr Edwards said.
"I have also ordered a review of current policies with respect to the minimum standards for landfill facilities."
The Cardup landfill site was originally approved by the previous government in 1994 and has been operating for approximately five years. The first stage of the landfill is almost complete.
Minister's office: 9220 5050