Landfill operation on the right track
The number of complaints about Spicer Landfill smells have fallen, especially since October.
According to numbers from the regional council and Porirua City Council, between April and October the city council recorded 146 notifications about the smell. From November 8 until December 5 only one was recorded.
In September, a leaked report from Auckland-based consultants Aecom slammed landfill operator, EnviroWaste Services Ltd, for high levels of hydrogen sulfide and methane gas, biosolid levels exceeding good practice guidelines and gas wells being too large for the gas flow.
Odour complaints were common for most of 2015, especially from Tawa residents.
After the report, protocols to deal with smelly sludge from the Titahi Bay wastewater treatment plant were put in place, deodorant systems installed, a draft landfill gas management plan prepared and additional cover put on the landfill.
A further investigation of the landfill’s operation was prepared in November by consultants Beca and was given to the joint Wellington and Porirua City Council landfill committee last month.
At the meeting, Peter Bailey, Porirua City Council’s general manager of asset management and operations, said the lower number of odour complaints was a good result.
‘‘It must be noted that the sludge content [from the treatment plant] has reduced from three months ago to about 20 per cent.’’
Porirua deputy mayor ‘ Ana Coffey said ‘‘this has not been a fun journey for everyone’’ but the changes being implemented were for the better.
Beca reviewed odour complaints from Spicer over the past five years and interviewed staff and management, concluding that waste being delivered to the landfill was meeting the consent criteria.
However, the prices for commercial operators – $129 per tonne, compared with $121.80 per tonne at Happy Valley and $118 per tonne at Silverstream – meant not enough dry refuse was being delivered to mix with the sludge.
A review of the pricing strategy to remain competitive was recommended by Beca.
The joint committee had just received the Beca report before its last meeting, in mid-December. Recommendations for further improvement at Spicer will be considered, probably next month.
Tawa Community Board chairman Robert Tredger said he had heard of only one odour complaint since mid-December and was happy with the measures being put in place at Spicer.