2019-02-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    12 FEBRUARY 2019


Landfill Emissions
The greatest source of Council’s greenhouse gas emissions is the fugitive emissions from the
landfill. These emissions are a result of community waste disposal. Organic matter such as green
waste, food waste, paper and cardboard produce methane as they decompose under landfill
conditions. Methane is 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2.

There was an 18% reduction in the modelled emissions from the landfill in 2017/18 compared to
the previous year. Figure 1 illustrates the waste to landfill (tonnes), and the modelled emissions
from the landfill since 2012/13. Gas extraction bores were first installed during 2013/14. Council
continues to improve its gas capture and emission reduction by improved capping, installation of
additional extraction bores and the installation of lateral gas collection lines. Since the installation
of the gas bores, GHG emissions from the landfill have reduced by approximately 40%.

   60000

   50000

   40000

   30000                                                                          Waste to landfill (T)
                                                                                  Emissions (T CO2e)
   20000

   10000

        0
            2012/13    2013/14    2014/15    2015/16    2016/17    2017/18
Figure 1: Noosa Council Landfill - Waste to landfill, methane captured and emissions over time

During May 2018, an audit of the municipal solid waste collected by Council was undertaken. The
audit was undertaken to gauge the make-up of Council’s waste stream going to landfill. The audit
was also used to gauge the success of recent education programs and the implementation of the
garden waste bin roll-out. The audit revealed that, on average, the Noosa community’s waste bins
contained:
 17.3% garden waste;
 29.0% food waste;
 11.8% paper and cardboard;
 7% wood and wood waste; and
 34.9% other material.

This organic material which makes up 65.1% of waste breaks down under landfill conditions to
produce the methane that is captured and flared. Council officers are exploring technological and
behavioural change initiatives to improve waste management and reduce overall waste generation
and waste to landfill in the Noosa Shire.




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