2020-12-08 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                        8 DECEMBER 2020


Transport and stationary fuel emissions comprise under 2% of Council’s total carbon footprint.
However, Council vehicles are a particularly visible symbol of the commitment to zero emissions.
Whilst there have been a number of hybrid vehicles added to the fleet, more fully electric vehicles
are becoming available and could be considered where appropriate for the business need.
Landfill Emissions
The greatest source of Council’s greenhouse gas emissions (63%) 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.


               Noosa Council Waste to landfill and estimated
                               emissions
 60000

 50000

 40000

 30000                                                                         Waste to landfill (T)

 20000                                                                         Estimated Emissions (T CO2e)

 10000

       0
           2012/132013/142014/152015/162016/172017/182018/192019/20

     Figure 1: Noosa Council Landfill - Waste to landfill, methane captured and emissions over time

Emissions from the landfill have increased slightly (2.5%) compared to 2019/20 as the amount of
methane captured was less than the previous year, whilst the amount of waste deposited in the
landfill increased by approximately 2%. The degradation of organic waste in landfills is a complex
series of chemical and biological reactions. Landfill conditions, weather conditions, age of the
waste and gas extraction equipment productivity will all affect the methanogenic bacterial action
and hence the resultant landfill gas capture.
Council officers continue to work with the contractors managing the landfill gas operation to improve
landfill gas capture. New lateral lines and vertical wells are being installed into waste cells as soon
as practicable. It is expected that the methane gas capture will increase following the installation
of new gas wells in the latter part of 2020.
This organic material which makes up 65% of waste, breaks down under landfill conditions to
produce the methane that is captured and flared. Council officers are exploring further technological
and behavioural change initiatives to improve waste management and reduce overall waste
generation and waste to landfill in the Noosa Shire as part of the upcoming waste strategy project.

3.     Scope 2 - Indirect emissions
Purchased electricity
Whilst the emissions from the purchase of electricity from the grid are a small percentage of
Council’s total carbon footprint, the business case for the implementation of energy efficiency and
on-site renewable energy generation is positive and reduces the impact of increased electricity
prices in the future. Overall, there was a 25% reduction in emissions from electricity consumption
in 2019/20 compared to the previous year.



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