Bio-reaction to landfill
Sun 02 December 2007
Andrew James, Journalism
After 28 years of not having council garbage collection the Croker family find themselves at the doorstep of Maroochy Shire’s proposed bioreactor landfill venture.
June Croker’s family home on Ferntree Creek Rd sits within the environment buffer zone of the council’s preferred landfill site at Kulangoor.
They bought their land 30 years ago, built their home and have lived in their piece of paradise for 28 years without garbage collection. The council told them that it was not viable to collect so they have been taking their rubbish to the Bli Bli landfill 6km away. Now, if the bioreactor becomes a reality they will live 500 metres from a dump.
The manager of Maroochy Waste Gerard Kavney said the council knew of the impending capacity of the shire’s landfill, due to expire in 2011, and started a search for suitable sites in 1993. Over 40 potential sites were identified for a new landfill location, which eventually narrowed to two options.
He said that unfortunately there is going to be an impact on people but this facility will have the least impact on residents.
This is little comfort for the six to nine households affected in the ‘No Dump’ protest-signed Ackerman road - currently a no thoroughfare - or Ferntree Creek road residents.
The council will need to cut through forest, upgrade Akerman Road and the dirt Forest Creek Road, which winds alongside a national park, to allow 130 garbage trucks, private contractors and domestic users access to the bioreactor.
The site, a former banana farm nestled between state forest and national park, will be excavated down to bedrock before the bioreactor is built. The bioreactor would function for the next 30 years. Upon reaching capacity reforestation would occur linking the forests on either side of the site.
The bioreactor would produce electricity for 4000 to 5000 homes. Current technology accelerates landfill waste breakdown through a re-circulate process of landfill leachate and captures methane gas to produce electricity.
State member for Nicklin, Peter Wellington raised concerns about the project. He said bioreactors are the future however they are generally built in already degraded sites. He said the site is not degraded and is an environmentally sensitive area with high rainfall.
Mr Wellington said the proposal should be put on hold until after the March council elections, with the waste issue for the new super council. The proposal should be put to public tender with the possibility to transport waste outside the area, he said.
Waste manager Gerard Kavney said, “Changing boundaries doesn’t change needs.” He said there needed to be northern, central and southern waste facilities and that to transport waste out of the area would cost more than double to set up than to build the bioreactor.
Image(s) designed by Andrew James