EPA ISSUES PREVENTION NOTICE TO MANGROVE MOUNTAIN LANDFILL
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a prevention notice to Verde Terra Pty Ltd, operator of the Mangrove Mountain Landfill, requiring a detailed leachate study after elevated levels of ammonia were detected onsite.
Recent testing has also detected low levels of PFAS in groundwater monitoring bores at the site and in Stringybark Creek, which require further investigation. While results showed PFAS detections above the relevant National ecological guidelines at two sites near the landfill, these locations are not easily accessible to the public so the risk to human health is low.
Ammonia is an indicator of landfill leachate, which forms when rainwater passes through waste. Concentrations found in onsite stormwater dams suggest leachate contamination may pose a risk to the environment if discharged.
EPA’s Director of Operations David Gathercole said the EPA has recently stepped-up monitoring at the landfill and determined that improvements to the environmental management of the site are required.
“We’re enforcing strict controls at the landfill, and this latest requirement is a critical step to protect nearby waterways, groundwater, ecosystems, and the local community,” Mr Gathercole said.
“The prevention notice requires Verde Terra to take a holistic look at leachate migration and management at the site. It complements existing prevention notices requiring the company to prevent discharges and improve leachate and surface water management.
“EPA inspections and water testing show that leachate management at the landfill requires improvement as results show some offsite impacts. For this reason, we have also been undertaking water quality monitoring in adjacent waterways.
“Verde Terra has engaged a qualified expert to examine how leachate is travelling through the site, assess contaminant measures onsite, and address what immediate and long-term steps are needed to better protect local waterways like nearby Stringybark Creek.
“This prevention notice also requires a full review of current water quality data, monitoring of both surface and groundwater, and an assessment of how leachate might be entering stormwater systems.
“Strict monitoring and strong water management is critical at this site, and the EPA will continue to maintain a firm regulatory presence to ensure the necessary improvements are delivered.”
PFAS chemicals, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals found in many everyday products. They have been widely used in many industrial and consumer applications as they are effective at resisting heat, stains, grease and water.
The presence of PFAS in the environment does not necessarily indicate that there is a health risk, however identifying sites that require investigation is an important precaution to reduce the risk of community exposure to PFAS.
For more information about water quality monitoring results, please visit the EPA website. Mangrove Mountain landfill | EPA
DANIELLE WILLIAMS | 0448 196 606
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