Wetland clean-up bid clears hurdle

TASMANIA’S environment watchdog has laid out conditions required for a leachate treatment system trial at the Copping landfill site.

Southern Waste Solutions wants to build a wetland leachate treatment system at the site, which is home to a standard B-Cell landfill and a C-Cell hazardous waste dump.

The leachate treatment system will use natural wetland vegetation processes to help treat wastewater from the B-Cell without the need for energy or chemicals.

Once operational, the system will have capacity to treat approximately six megalitres of leachate per annum.

Environment Protection Authority director Wes Ford said the proposed development could be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with certain conditions.

“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly management of leachate,” Mr Ford said.

“The system has been designed not to discharge to the environment and this has been made a condition of any permit granted.

“Stormwater management measures must also be implemented to prevent any discharge from overflow of the system to the environment.”

The EPA said no representations were received in relation to the leachate treatment system application.