Environmental Watchdog Inspects Controversial West Coast Landfill

Friday, 14 June 2024, 7:45 pm
Article: Brendon McMahon - Local Democracy Reporter

The official environmental watchdog is on the ground today [Friday] as it checks a controversial West Coast private landfill pinged for leaking contaminated water from the site.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) issued Taylorville Resource Park with an abatement notice three months ago, on March 14, after its investigation found contaminated water leaching from the landfill, at Coal Creek 5km east of Greymouth.

Under the EPA abatement notice, the site was given three months to comply with the appropriate environmental standards.

It followed a request in February for the EPA to take over the West Coast Regional Council's ongoing investigation of the landfill site from 2023 after a raft of complaints.

The EPA moved quickly and announced on March 14 it had issued the abatement, giving the site three months until June 14 to fix the leachate issue.

In a statement today, EPA investigations manager Jackie Adams said EPA compliance officers were now on the ground at Coal Creek inspecting the site.

"We will be reviewing the changes made by TRP and taking further water samples from the site," Mr Adams said.

"Once this work has been completed, we will assess if all the conditions and requirements of the abatement notice have been met, before considering any next steps."

Mr Adams said they were very conscious of the public interest in the site.

"We recognise this is an important issue for people in the region and are working with TRP [Taylorville Resource Park] to ensure they have taken the appropriate steps to address the issues outlined in the abatement notice," he said.

Under the Resource Management Act, the EPA has the power to assist and intervene in an enforcement action of a council.

Mr Adams said they would make a further announcement pending their inspection and confirmation of any next steps.

The EPA intervention followed a fraught 2023 for the regional council as it dealt with a raft of complaints.

These included a persistent foul odour, water leaching from the site, and fears of asbestos dust.

The regional council had previously granted the site its initial non-notified consents in 2021 then a series of consent variations through 2022 and in early 2023.

Those consent alterations saw the scope of the landfill site expand beyond a much needed demolition landfill to take other materials such as toxic coal tar and old tyres.

The allowing of variations was highlighted in a damning independent report for council of its own consenting process in mid-2023.

The Enviser report also highlighted a tendency by council to rely on "a tickbox" exercise of information provided by applicants.

Taylorville Resource Park was approached for comment, as was the regional council.

The Grey District Council has criticised how the landfill site was allowed to operate close to its Greymouth water treatment plant site.

Mayor Tania Gibson said said the council continued to keep a watch on the site.

Her council in early 2023 commissioned independent and ongoing water testing due to their unhappiness at the landfill being across the road from their water treatment plant. The supply's water intakes are about 300m southeast from the landfill.

"I think it's a ticking timebomb," Mrs Gibson said today [Friday].

"We're assured at this stage our water supply is safe but into the future, we just have grave concerns."

Mrs Gibson said their worry aligned with that of the landfill's neighbours: about the site's future effects.

"What have we learnt over time? Look at Fox, look at the Cobden dump. Where does it end? Mrs Gibson said her council are working "in partnership" now with the regional council to find a resolution, "but we need to do the right thing for the district".

Former Grey District councillor Cliff Sandrey, part a organised group of concerned neighbours, said they had met again yesterday.

At this stage it was "a wait and see", depending on what the EPA found.

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