Stinky tip complaints declining

The odour complaints about Spicer Landfill are down to less than one a week, but one Wellington City councillor doubts they will ever fully stop.

The operation at Spicer Landfill has been the subject of scrutiny since it was revealed in September that potentially deadly gas was escaping. Odour complaints from Tawa residents have been constant for a number of years.

But the latest figures presented to the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Joint Landfill Committee last week showed that, despite a few spikes, there has been less than one complaint a week about the tip since the end of March.

Solutions like a suitable cleanfill to cover the waste was making a difference, Porirua City Council solid waste manager Peter Keller said.

However, an odour detection system on the landfill’s boundary and a mobile deodorant system would not be installed, after trials showed them to be ineffective.

Wellington City councillor Malcolm Sparrow said a Tawa resident in regular contact with him was still complaining about a frequent bad smell coming from Spicer.

‘‘This is hot off the press. On June 6 and 7, which were cold, calm evenings with no wind, the smells were back again I have been told,’’ he said.

‘‘This says to me that the issue is not fully resolved and I suspect it never will be.’’

Keller said the calm evenings sometimes meant there was no wind to blow any odour away.

Compliance officers from the regional council went to Spicer last week and did not detect anything that would cause a breach of the consent conditions for the landfill.

Tawa residents were being kept informed and a public meeting will be held on June 30.

PRICE REVIEW

There will be an independent reviewinto pricing at Spicer Landfill, because commercial operators continue to divertwaste to Silverstream, Kapiti and Happy Valley. According to a report presented to the joint committee, waste tonnage to Spicer dropped dramatically in 2013 and 2014. The cost of generalwaste per tonne is $129 at Spicer, $118 at Silverstream and $121.80 at Happy Valley. It costs $161.50 per tonne in Kapiti. Porirua City Council solidwastemanager Peter Keller told councillors by adjusting prices, there could be a return to thewaste volumes of 2013. He expected the independent reviewto be completed by the next joint committee meeting in August.