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Background Information

Last modified: August 27, 2009 - 2:45 PM

A new landfill is needed to provide a long-term disposal solution for the Armidale Dumaresq Council and surrounding local government areas (LGA) Uralla and Guyra Councils. Armidale Dumaresq Council is planning to construct a new landfill facility to replace the existing site on Long Swamp Road which has almost reached its capacity.

The existing landfill site operated by Armidale Dumaresq Council is a waste disposal depot located off Long Swamp Road in Armidale. It is a Solid Waste Class I landfill that currently accepts approximately 15,000 tonnes from Armidale Dumaresq LGA and 500 tonnes from Guyra LGA annually. Approximately 40% of the total waste generated in the Armidale Dumaresq LGA is removed for recycling. Four other smaller waste depots located throughout the region (Tilbuster, Ebor, Wollomombi and Hillgrove) have been closed as landfills and now operate only as waste transfer stations with the waste transferred to the Armidale Long Swamp Road landfill.

The existing Long Swamp Road landfill has reached capacity and a minor extension has been constructed to provide additional capacity for the next four years. A new landfill is therefore required within the next four years.

There is no way that Armidale Dumaresq Council will support or allow any landfill site to be constructed, should it be any risk to the World Heritage areas, or be likely to cause unacceptable damage to the environment. Environmental investigations will be undertaken to assess the environmental impacts and stringent design controls will be implemented for the construction and operation of a new landfill.

Landfill Siting Studies
For more than 10 years the search to find a new landfill site was carried out by the former City Council. The new amalgamated council of Armidale Dumaresq formed a Community Consultative Committee to investigate every aspect of this and make a recommendation to Council of their preferred site, for further detailed analysis.
Copies of the site selection studies to date are provided below.

How to find and use this information: You will find below background details on the proposed landfill facility. Some of the information may have an attachment relating to the subject. If this is the case, it will be hyperlinked directly to it. The attachments may also be found at the bottom of the page. If you have any concerns, please contact council or fill out the 'Make a request' form available below.

01 New Landfill Site Investigations - Introductions

Introduction date: 1996
The current Landfill Site on Long Swamp Road, Armidale is coming to the end of its useful life. Since 1996, the former Armidale City Council and now the Armidale Dumaresq Council have been investigating potential sites for the new landfill.

02 Preliminary Regional Landfill Siting Study

Study Date: July 1996
The Study was prepared by Brian J Mackney & Associates Pty Ltd in July 1996. Below is a Joint Study commissioned by the former Armidale City and Dumaresq Shire Councils (now known as Armidale Dumaresq Council) and the Uralla Shire Council.

02a Preliminary Regional Landfill Siting Study - Geology Report

Study Date: July 1996
Below are questions from Mr Brian Mackney to Coffey Partners International Pty Ltd regarding the Geology Report for the Preliminary Landfill Siting Study which was created in July 1996.

03 Preliminary Site Assessment - Mertz Quarry Site

Report Date: December 1996
The report below, prepared by Brian J. Mackney & Associates Pty Ltd (Byron Bay) in December 1996, examines the potential for establishment of a regional landfill for the Armidale Region, on an existing quarry site known as Mertz Quarry. The site is located approximately four kilometres southwest of Hillgrove, east of Armidale.

03a Preliminary Geotechnical & Hydrogeological Investigation - Metz Quarry

Investigation Date: May 2000
Below is a Preliminary Geotechnical & Hydrogeological Investigation of the proposed landfill site - Metz Quarry. The Investigation was prepared Planning Environmental & Engineering Consultants prepared in May 2000.

03b Concept Design - Metz Quarry

Design Date: May 2001
Below is the Concept Design - Proposed Landfill Site - Metz Quarry. The Study was prepared by Planning Environmental and Engineering Consultants in May 2001.

04 Preliminary Site Assessment - Sites 2, 3 & 4

Report Date: 1997
The report below examines the potential for establishment of a regional landfill for the Armidale Region, on three properties, referred to in the report as Sites 2, 3 and 4.
Site 2 - Bannaweera Site, West of Uralla
Site 3 - Annaleey Site, North of Armidale
Site 4 - Tillbuster Site, North of Armidale

05 Preliminary Site Assessment - Sites 5, 6 & 7

Report Date: July 1998
This report below examines the potential for establishment of a regional landfill for the Armidale Region, on three properties referred to in the report as Sites 5, 6 and 7.
Site 5 - East Mihi, East of Uralla
Site 6 - Pinaroo Site, Northwest of Armidale
Site 7 - Sherraloy Site, East of Armidale

Peer Review of the site selection process

Report Date: June 2001
The Peer Review, below, was prepared by the NSW Department of Public Works and Services (June 2001).

06 Siting Study - Site 8 Assessment

Report Date: June 2001
The report below, prepared by the Department of Public Works and Services, examines the potential for establishment of a regional landfill for the Armidale Region, on two properties east of Armidale. Site 8 - Waioma, Thorpleigh Road, East of Armidale

07 Strategy for Obtaining a Site for a New Regional Landfill

Report date: February 2002
Below is the Discussion Paper on the Strategy for Obtaining a Site for a New Regional Landfill. The Discussion Paper was presented at a Council Workshop held on 18 February 2002.

08 Siting Study - Site 9 Assessment

Report date: April 2002
The Study below, prepared by the NSW Department of Public Works and Services (April 2002), examines the potential for establishment of a regional landfill for the Armidale Region, on a property east of Armidale. The property, referred to in the report as Site 9, is approximately sixteen kilometres from Armidale, off Miningvale Road.

10 Reports - Council Meetings

Report date: October 2002
The document below contains reports which have been discussed at Armidale Dumaresq Council Meetings regarding the issue of the New Regional Waste Management Strategy for the Council.

11 Press Releases

Release Dates: October 2002 & January 2003. Press releases available:
Community Committee to Oversee landfill site choice
Date: 30 January 2003
Community invited to meeting on Waste Management issues
Date: 20 October 2002
New Site Earmarked for Landfill
Date: 18 October 2002

12 Public Information Meeting - 29 January 2003

Meeting Date: January 2003 Community Information Meeting

AGENDA
Waste Management Issues
Wednesday, 29 January 2003
Venue: Armidale Town Hall
Time: 5.30pm

1) Discussion on communication and consultation protocols - Cr Brian Chetwynd, Mayor of Armidale Dumaresq

2) Presentation by Mr Shane Burns, General Manager of Armidale Dumaresq Council
* A brief background/history
* Current situation
* Future processes
* Goals/Objectives/Considerations
* Commitment to Transparency

3) Questions of a non-technical nature by members of the public.

13 Community Information Meeting held 29 January 2003

Meeting date: January 2003
A Community Information Meeting was held at the Council Administration Building on the evening of Wednesday 29 January 2003 to discuss issues associated with the investigation into a new landfill site.
A Powerpoint presentation was shown at the meeting, and an undertaking was given that it would be placed on Council's website. The presentation has been converted to a .pdf file.

14 Community Consultative Committee

Meeting Date: January 2003
One of the outcomes of the public meeting held 29 January was to be the formation of an Armidale Dumaresq Community Consultative Committee to consider the landfill project and association waste issues.

Council resolved at the Ordinary Meeting held 24 February 2003 (Minute 09.011/03*) as follows:

  1. That Council endorse the formation of an Armidale Dumaresq Community Consultative Committee to consider the landfill project and other waste issues.
  2. That Council defer the matter of acceptance of a tender for a hydrogeological and geological study until a review of the weighting of selection criteria is undertaken by the Community Consultative Committee.
  3. That a draft Terms of Reference document be drawn up for input by members of the public and referred for adoption by Council at the March Council Meeting.
  4. That a selection criteria list be developed for use by the Waste Management Committee in the selection process.
  5. That the Committee be constituted as follows:
    1. 3 Council representatives
    2. 6 Representatives from the three landfill sites under investigation (2 per site)
    3. 1 Independent Chair
    4. 5 Members of the public.
  6. That Council call for nominations of two representatives from the groups formed around sites 7/8/9, and Expressions of Interest for community members to act on a 15 person Community Consultative Committee and refer the nominations to the current Waste Management Committee for development of a recommendation on the constituency of the Committee for Council's consideration.
  7. That Council call for nominations for an independent Chair for the Community Consultative Committee.
  8. That the current Waste Management Committee review the current Waste Management Strategy and develop an action plan.
  9. That the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor Beyersdorf (Chairperson, Waste Management Committee) be endorsed as Council's representatives on the newly formed Consultative Committee, and that Councillor Roobol be the alternative delegate if one of the three representatives above is absent.
  10. That Council adopt the second draft Terms of Reference and Protocols for the proposed Community Consultative Committee, and call for submissions from interested parties.

The Terms of Reference for this Committee, Protocols for the Committee, and Nomination Forms for the Independent Chair and Community Representatives are available below.

Nominations for Community Representatives and the Independent Chair close on Friday 14 March 2003.

15 Further References on the Web

Meeting Date: January 2003
At the meeting held 29 January 2003 it was promised that further references would be given to residents, possibly via the web. Brian Mackney has supplied the following web sites for residents and ratepayers to gain more information: http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au | http://www.wrapp.nsw.gov.au/  | http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/waste/dumping.htm | http://www.resource.nsw.gov.au/

16 Community Consultation Regional Landfill Siting Study Draft Report

Report date: December 2003
Armidale Dumaresq Council Community Consultation Regional Landfill Siting Study Draft Report At the 8 December 2003 meeting of the Armidale Dumaresq Landfill Community Consultative Committee it was resolved to put the amended Draft Report on the Regional Landfill Siting Study out to public exhibition. Period of Exhibition was Tuesday, 23 December 2003 to Tuesday, 27 January 2004.

17 - Maunsell Final Site Report March 2004 - PART 1

Report date: March 2004
Maunsell - Final Report for the New Landfill Site Part 1 of 3 parts.

18 - Maunsell Final Site Report March 2004 - PART 2

Report date: March 2004
Maunsell - Final Report for the New Landfill Site Part 2 of 3 parts

19 - Maunsell Final Site Report March 2004 - PART 3

Report date: March 2004
Maunsell - Final Report for the New Landfill Site Part 3 of 3 parts

Message from Mayor, Cr Peter Ducat

Message Date: October 2005
A message from the Mayor, Cr Peter Ducat, about Council's decision to select a new landfill site and its environmental concerns.
The protection of our environment, with its unique flora and fauna is one of the foremost challenges facing our community. Armidale Dumaresq Council has a record of environmental responsibility and Council is committed to ensuring that all decision making processes and procedures take environmental, social and economic factors into consideration.
Council's focus is to protect our environment, with its unique ecosystems and World Heritage areas for the enjoyment of future generations. Council is proud of its record to date, with a first class Recycling Centre, and a community that supports recycling on a daily basis. Cr Peter Ducat, 12/10/05

Contact details
Armidale Dumaresq Council
02 6770 3600 (ph)
council@armidale.nsw.gov.au


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