Kulangoor residents furious over dump
Mon 02 April 2007
Lucy Killip, Journalism
Residents of Kulangoor are devastated by the Maroochy Shire Council’s plans to build a bioreactor landfill in their peaceful community.
Kulangoor borders national park, just five minutes north of Nambour on the Sunshine Coast and is home to banana growers, cattle farmers and residents who enjoy the quiet life.
The Maroochy Shire Council declares bioreactor landfills to be more effective and efficient despite being a more expensive way to deal with waste that cannot be recycled, compared to conventional ‘dry tomb’ landfills.
Bioreactors accelerate the decomposition and stabilisation of waste using moisture, liquid and leachate, which is the juice that pools in the bottom layers of landfills.
The leachate is collected and then pumped back through the landfill to stimulate natural biodegradation processes.
Traditional dry tomb landfills such as the existing one 
between Nambour and Bli Bli take about 30 years to decompose compared to less than 10 years for bioreactor landfills.
Yolo County in the United States (US) has one of the world’s foremost bioreactors in place and hopes the accelerated decomposition process will extend the life of landfills by 20 per cent.
The US Environmental Protection Agency says that bioreactors emit increased amounts of odours compared to traditional landfills.
Bioreactors also produce gasses such as methane and carbon dioxide at an earlier stage and at a much higher rate than traditional dry tomb landfills.
Volatile organic chemicals and hazardous air pollutants are further possible by-products of bioreactor landfills.
Kulangoor citizens are concerned the odour produced by the 50m high landfill will be so bad it will be impossible to enjoy a peaceful outdoor lifestyle.
Life-long Yandina resident Julie Vermeulen, is worried about reports that on a bad day the smell from the dump will travel 5km or more.
The Maroochy Shire Council estimates the existing dry tomb landfill at Nambour will be filled by 2010 and a new waste management facility will take up to five years to become fully functional.
Cr Natoli told The Courier Mail that of the 42 sites considered for the bioreactor, Kulangoor was the most ideal.
Residents disagree saying the dump’s location only 3km from Yandina and 3.5km from Nambour is not suitable.
According to Ms Vermeulen water contamination stemming from the dump is another issue that council has overlooked in its plans to develop a new dump site.
Ms Vermeulen says the proposed dump area is situated above an underground water supply that runs into the Maroochy River and also into nearby Wappa Dam, a source of drinking water for Coast residents.
Adding to the distress of locals is news the planned dump will be in operation seven days a week with noisy turbines running and 150 trucks travelling down Ackerman Road daily.
Further concerning Ms Vermeulen is the possibility that industrial rubbish will be disposed of at the bioreactor and the chance that council will let other shire’s dump waste at the site.
Image(s) designed by Lucy Killip