Assisting with resource consent for a modern, engineered regional landfill that represented accepted waste management best-practice at the time of construction

Transwaste Canterbury Limited sought to establish a new landfill in Kate Valley in the Hurunui District that would operate for 35 years with a capacity of between 9.37 and 7.72 million tonnes. The design footprint and landfill profile provided for 11.2 million net cubic metres of airspace, which would enable up to 9.5 million tonnes of waste to be deposited using latest compaction techniques.

The Kate Valley site is not physically associated with any particular community, but it is in closest proximity to the Waipara / Omihi area. The catchment within which the proposed landfill is located is on the seaward side of the coastal hills, which drain towards the east. The Kate Valley catchment is not connected to the Waipara River or any other waterbody in the Waipara/Omihi area.

However, flexibility was required as each phase of the landfill would be redesigned and sized to match expected waste quantities over the landfill life. Lower waste quantities may therefore lead to a smaller landfill.

The nature of the proposal, the proximity of the coastal environment and the proximity of sites of significance to Māori, and the engineering required made this a complex and challenging project. It required Boffa Miskell to work closely with a large project team of engineers, the client and a range of other technical experts. It was the planner's role to keep an eye on all these moving parts and identify and manage any consenting issues that arise.

A large number of consents were sought from Hurunui District Council and Canterbury Regional Council for a broad range of activities including earthworks, discharge of solid waste and contaminants, diversion and damming of waterways and the taking of water.

Client

Transwaste Canterbury Limited

Location

Canterbury

Project date

1994 - 2004

The proposal involved the upgrading of Mt Cass Road and the construction of a new private access road to the landfill footprint, to provide access for waste transport and other vehicles associated with the construction and operation of the landfill.

The development and operation of a modern, engineered regional landfill to dispose of municipal solid waste within the subject site included:

  • Excavation and removal of material from the area under the landfill footprint
  • Formation of the levels for the base of the landfill, with associated stockpiling
  • Formation of the base of the landfill, involving excavation and removal of material from the area under the landfill footprint, and associated stockpiling
  • Placement of natural and artificial components to form a liner for the landfill
  • Formation and operation of drainage and sediment control measures.
  • Water supply construction and operation
  • Leachate drainage, collection and removal system installation and operation.
  • Landfill gas control system installation and operation.
  • Construction of site infrastructure platforms and facilities.
  • Landscape buffer planting and construction of a wind protection bund.
  • Delivery of waste to the site and controlled placement of waste within the landfill.
  • Cover Cap placement and final surface rehabilitation.
  • On-going monitoring.

The Proposal had a number of benefits; in particular the landfill gas capture and combustion system will have a major impact on reducing emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) compared with continued use of the current landfills, where no landfill gas capture or use occurs.

Forest and native plantings were proposed around the Kate Valley landfill to act as a GHG sink, further reducing GHG emissions. Other benefits included streamlining and co-ordination of re-cycling and re-use initiatives for waste disposal; revegetation of land with forestry that can be harvested and utilized on a productive basis adding to the regional economy; revegetation of land with native planting adding to the amenity value and ecological values of the region; and conservation of wetlands, streams and wetland margins; and recreational opportunities

As part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the six participating Councils and Canterbury Waste Services, CWS agreed to fund local charitable and community activities through a community trust for every year that the landfill is in operation.

Boffa Miskell assisted with community and iwi engagement. Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu wrote to Canterbury Waste Services to advise that it unreservedly endorsed the excellent consultation process followed with Ngāi Tahu. They also supported the baseline monitoring agreed to by Transwaste Canterbury Limited and acknowledged that continued consultation may be necessary after lodging of consents.

Boffa Miskell led the preparation of the application documentation. The applications were publicly notified, and a hearing was held. Consents were granted from both Councils and an appeal to the Environment Court was unsuccessful. Kate Valley was constructed and still operates today, having been unaffected by the Canterbury earthquake sequence.

At the time of its construction, Kate Valley represented accepted waste management best practice, including the management of hazardous waste from households and small commercial premises, that is not obvious using standard screening.

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