Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has approved a works approval application from Grosvenor Lodge Pty Ltd to expand its Rockleigh landfill operation located at 435 Balnarring Road, about eight kilometres south-east of Mornington.
Waste types accepted at the premises will not change from that which is currently being accepted: industry-derived solid inert waste, asbestos of domestic origin and tyres shredded into pieces of less than 250mm.
EPA Development Assessments Manager Tim Faragher said the company’s proposal would modify and extend its existing landfill into an area to the north of its current operation.
“The extension of the landfill will include increasing airspace of existing landfill cells and construction of three new cells,” Mr Faragher said.
“This will extend the life of the landfill by seven to eight years with its final closure expected in 2025.”
Mr Faragher said the proposal has been assessed as meeting the requirements of all relevant policies, guidelines and the Environment Protection Act 1970.
“All requirements of the works approval, including the final designs and content of all reports and plans, must meet the full and final satisfaction of the EPA prior to the amendment of the current landfill licence,” Mr Faragher said.
During the works approval process, community consultation was undertaken through an open community drop-in session held jointly with EPA and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.
Following the receipt of submissions during the comments period, EPA held another community session with the council and interested submitters. The issues raised by the community in meetings and submissions were considered in the assessment of the application and the conditioning of the works approval.
Mr Faragher said issues raised by community included noise, landfill height, stormwater runoff and the site’s compliance history with its licence; all these issues were considered in EPA’s assessment of the application.
“To address community issues, conditions included in the final decision require the company to provide, before any expansion occurs, reporting to EPA that includes management and monitoring programs for leachate, dust, odour, landfill gas, groundwater, surface water, noise and vibration,” Mr Faragher said.
Licence compliance at the site is actively monitored by EPA and will continue.
It should be noted that the approval is conditional upon the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council issuing a planning approval for the premises.
For further information on Grosvenor’s works approval application please visit: http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-approvals/public-participation/featured-applications/rockleigh-landfill-works-approval-application