32 | Waitaki District Council: Project Reclaim T T Karen Phelps Council bites bullet with Project Reclaim The Hampden Closed Landfill site has already been subject to coastal erosion exposing previously buried waste, with some waste washing out onto the beach. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Waitaki District Council has chosen to take a proactive approach to historic landfill sites in its region that may become uncovered due to coastal retreat with Project Reclaim. “We’re a little bit pioneering here,” says Waitaki District Council solid waste manager Steve Clarke. “Council has bitten the bullet and acknowledged we could have an environmental disaster waiting to happen and initiated Project Reclaim.” The ground breaking project addresses the imminent threat posed by three coastal contaminated land sites - two fly-tipping sites on Beach Road near Awamoa Road and the Hampden Closed Landfill. The project is being undertaken by Fulton Hogan and Waste Management New Zealand, which has already taken possession of the council’s Palmerston Landfill site, where the waste will head, and is busy preparing it for waste reception in the coming year. Consent acquisition, meeting environmental standards and adopting best landfilling practices have been at the forefront of the project’s concerns. “The initial plan was to deposit the waste into the current landfill site, a Class B unlined landfill cell. However recognising the significance of environmental sustainability and adhering to the latest Class 1 standards, a decision was made to construct a new fully lined cell, reflecting a commitment to avoiding environmental disasters and upholding the highest landfilling standards,” explains Steve. The Beach Road Landfills are two historical landfills, which were never specifically opened or approved by council for use as landfill. Located approximately 3km south of Oamaru, it is thought that the landfills were used by the public between the 1950’s to 1970’s, although casual fly-tipping is still prevalent today, notes Steve. The unofficial landfill areas were investigated and partially remediated in 2017 after a complaint by locals regarding rubbish washing out off the cliff face onto the beach. Following the complaints in 2017, approximately 60 tonnes of waste material was removed to Oamaru and the areas were closed. The two Beach Road sites have a combined volume of approximately 5,000m3. The Hampden Closed Landfill is a former Municipal Solid Waste Landfill that was in operation from 1970 until 1996. In that time it is estimated it received around 30,000m3 of waste. The Hampden Closed Landfill site is located at the eastern end of Stafford Street, next to the beach and has already been subject to coastal erosion exposing previously buried waste, with some waste washing out onto the beach. In finding a suitable solution affected parties - the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Kai Tahu Ki Otago Limited (KTKO) - were consulted. Remedial works were undertaken including buried waste being transferred to the Palmerston landfill. A total of 5,090m3 of compacted waste (including cap material) was transferred between September and December 2009. It is estimated that there is a remaining volume of around 25,000m3 to be removed. Project Reclaim kicked off in January 2023 with the release of the request for proposals. Steve says early community engagement has been a priority involving residents of Falcon Street in Palmerston, Stafford Street in Hampden and consultations with Te Rūnanga o Moeraki and Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Pukerteraki. Works have commenced on Falcon Street to facilitate leachate management, ensuring proper channelling and processing of leachate from Project Reclaim materials and Waste Management and Fulton Hogan are presently initiating the necessary earthworks for developing a new fully lined cell to receive remediated waste. “There’s a lot of interest in what we are doing,” says Steve. “It’s a good news story and everyone has been very supportive of the project. For example Fulton Hogan and Waste Management New Zealand have been very solutions focused and done their best to help facilitate it. It’s been an awesome attitude.” Steve says that Project Reclaim represents more than just waste management. “It symbolises a commitment to reclaiming the coastline, land, environment and future. With the coastline retreating, more of these sites are expected to emerge around New Zealand and hopefully Project Reclaim can serve as a model for future initiatives nationwide.” GHC Consulting are landfill experts and are proud to assist the Waitaki District Council in Project Reclaim www.ghcconsulting.co.nz CREATING, CONNECTING AND CARING FOR COMMUNITIES Waugh Infrastructure Management Limited Ross Waugh - Director | 0800 4 WAUGH | info@waugh.nz Your partner in Local Authority Infrastructure Management
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