Known as cell three, it is expected to have a lifespan of three to four years. Bairnsdale Landfill is fully compliant with best practice environmental management, as it is located in an area that poses minimal risk to the environment and meets siting, design and operational requirements. East Gippsland Shire Mayor Cr Marianne Pelz said the landfill being located within an easy drive of Bairnsdale and Paynesville meant it also meets community needs. “There are very stringent controls on landfills these days; it’s not simply a matter of finding vacant land and digging a hole. Landfill is heavily governed and regulated by the Environment Protection Agency and compliance is paramount at great cost to our business,” Cr Pelz said. Construction of the cell is a key action in Council’s Waste Facility and Disposal Strategy 2014.
The new cell has five layers of lining: sub base, clay or geosynthetic clay layer, geomembrane and protection layer, drainage layer/leachate collection system, and geotextile. Chief Executive Officer Gary Gaffney said a significant portion of Council’s yearly expenditure was spent on waste management. “The increasing and ongoing costs include Victorian Government charges and levies. Currently, for every $100 Council receives as income, $17 is spent on waste management. This includes street litter and recycling bins, environmental compliance, split bins, cost of managing our waste facilities, landfill levies, and kerbside waste collection,” Mr Gaffney said. Once the site for Cell 3 was chosen, it had to undergo a rigorous environmental and planning assessment. “For the site to run by today’s standards, it must meet strict operational standards adhering to a wide range of requirements. These include environmental management, financial assurance, litter control, dust and air emission control, contingency planning, management of chemicals and fuel, and performance monitoring and reporting. It also needs to control noxious weeds and any species able to carry disease,” Mr Gaffney said. “Finally, the site must have best-practice rehabilitation and aftercare plans in place to minimise the potential of any detrimental impacts from the landfill once it is closed.
