TENTERFIELD Shire Council has been given an ultimatum to fix its overloaded waste transfer station and come up with an alternative to the controversial Boonoo Boonoo landfill site.
In a lengthy caution to council, the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has warned the Sunny Loop Road transfer station is dramatically exceeding its limits, and council needs to produce an action plan by Friday, February 17.
Council’s acting general manager Glenn Inglis said council was looking at “megabucks” to address the major waste issues raised by the EPA.
“This is a big deal,” Mr Inglis said.
“But this is something that’s got to happen. We are over the threshold and breaking the law, and it has to be fixed.
“We will work with the EPA on it. The reasoning is not to work against them – they are part of the team. That is the best way to solve these issues.”
Tenterfield Shire mayor Toby Smith said while the recent fire at the waste transfer station had been controlled, it had drawn attention to other issues, including the dangers posed by the landfill site beneath the transfer station.
“If the fire had got to the base of the landfill - or the tyres - it would have been a real problem,” Cr Smith said.
“We’re going to have to crack down on tyres. We will have to get cooperation from the townspeople as well as the industries within town to comply with these rules.”
Mr Inglis said the transfer station was allowed to operate as an unlicensed site as long as it did not take on the role of a landfill site that stored waste for the long term.
“There are thresholds and you can hold a certain number of tyres, a certain amount of mulch and a certain amount of recyclables. Currently, we are exceeding them all,” he said.
“There has to be a change in the management of the transfer station and the way it is operated.
“We must have an action plan for the general management of the station by the 17th of February. This must address how we attempt to resolve the problems, and how do we intend to ensure that now and forever, we will operate the waste transfer station in a way that will not exceed the limits.”
As an example, Mr Inlis said the transfer station was allowed to hold 5,000 tyres. He said there were currently an estimated 50,000 tyres on the site.
Council has until March 2 to come up with a plan to remove the tyres, and must dispose of them through an approved organisation.
“The stockpile of tyres is a ‘biggy’,” Mr Inglis said. “This is going to be a real wake-up call for the community - they are going to be shocked by the cost of the new program.
“The end result of all this stuff is going to cost an enormous amount of money. There is no choice. There is a choice about how we do it, and an attempt will be made to minimise costs.”
The EPA caution advised council the Boonoo Boonoo landfill was facing significant operational challenges and was located in a very environmentally sensitive area adjacent to a waterway and national parks.
“It would seem reasonably evident that the landfill site has a limited future and a new site will need to be found. That’s just the truth,” Mr Inglis said.
“We are now talking megabucks.”
Cr Smith said the Boonoo Boonoo site had originally been approved by the EPA, but guidelines and rules had become more stringent.
The EPA has told council to come up with an overall waste management strategy for the shire by June 30. The strategy will include solutions for the Boonoo Boonoo landfill, a look at whether the shire’s eight landfills and waste transfer stations are needed and on the right sites, and the introduction of a recycling scheme.
Cr Smith said the changes would carry a cost, and council had not yet looked at how the expense would be met.
“I am confident we can cover this,” he said. “We will be doing everything we can.
“It could result in some other service suffering – it’s going to cost a lot of money.
“We’re doing what all we possibly can and we will work through on the advice of the EPA to satisfy the requirements of government.
“All we can do is move forward. We are in a financially stable position, however we are going to have to deal with this. It’s a very important issue. The main thing is to remain financially sound.”
He said he believed with the coming appointment of a new general manager and two directors, council would be in a stronger position for future planning.
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