Landfill gas assessment

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• 2011 Update

• Background

2011 Update

The landfill (methane) gas environmental audits for the eight landfills identified as requiring further investigation in EPA Victoria’s assessment of methane gas movement from Victorian landfills are complete.  The assessment was undertaken in response to an incident in late 2008 when methane gas was found to be migrating from a closed landfill in Cranbourne into an adjacent residential estate.  The overall findings of the assessment, confirmed by the audits, are that no other residential estates are being impacted in the same way by landfill (methane) gas.  The operators and owners of the sites audited have been undertaking works to improve the management of landfill gas, and implementing auditor’s recommendations.  See below for information on how to obtain copies of the audits. 

All operators of licensed landfill sites across Victoria are required to undertake a landfill gas risk assessment, put in place an environmental monitoring programme verified by an EPA appointed Environmental Auditor, and have regular environmental audits.  Operators will be required to implement audit recommendations to ensure that risks are kept to low or acceptable levels.  These requirements are embedded via EPA’s Licensing Reform programme, and the revision of EPA’s landfill best practice guideline (Best Practice Environmental Management – Siting, Design, Operation and Rehabilitation of Landfills. EPA Publication 788.1.  September 2010).  Owners of closed landfill sites are required to undertake the same work under an Enforcement Notice, where appropriate.

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Background

EPA Victoria completed a comprehensive landfill (methane) gas assessment of Victoria’s licensed landfill sites early in 2009, following an incident late in 2008 where methane gas was found to be migrating from a closed landfill in Cranbourne into an adjacent residential estate.  The assessment looked at 260 licensed and previously licensed landfill sites, and although eight sites were identified as requiring further investigation, no other sites are impacting on residential estates in the same way.  

How to obtain electronic copies of the completed audits:
The completed audits can be obtained electronically by visiting EPA’s Information Centre.  Please bring a suitably sized electronic storage device (USB memory drive) and quote the relevant CARMS file reference number from the table below.

 

Landfill Sites where landfill (methane) audits have been completed	EPA Victoria’s CARMS file reference number
Clayton Road Regional Landfill, Clayton South - operated by Clayton Road Joint Venture Councils	64614-2
Fraser Road Landfill, Clayton South - operated by Transpacific Industries Group Ltd	65101-1
Deals Road (Heatherton Road) Landfill, Clayton South - operated by Transpacific Industries Group Ltd	66278-1
Springvalley Park Closed Landfill (Clarke Road), Springvale South - owned by City of Greater Dandenong	57016-2
Clarke Road Closed Landfill (Spring Road), Springvale South - owned by Glynlee Pty Ltd	64474-2
Taylors Road Landfill, Dandenong South – operated by SITA Environmental Solutions	63210-3
Landfill Sites where methane was thought likely to have been derived from non-landfill sources
Bosworth Road Closed Landfill, Bairnsdale – owned by East Gippsland Shire Council	65355-1
Hallam Road Landfill, Hampton Park – operated by SITA Environmental Solutions	60797-4

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