Bluegums Landfill
Current Operational Activity on Site (September 2023 –April 2024)
- Modifications to the current gas capturing system are due for the last weekend of September, this may cause some odours when the system is offline.
- Stage 9 construction works will recommence in September/October 2023 and run through to April 2024.
- Landfill Gas production and capture has continued to increase at the site and new options are being considered for the use of the gases.
- Some new roading will be completed as part of the Stage 9 development, this is to set the site up for the future developments.
Background
The Bluegums Landfill has been engineered to high standards and is expected to service the Marlborough district until 2047, based on annual inputs of 65,000 tonnes.
All landfills generate leachate. This is liquid that has percolated through the waste over a period of time. This liquid is potentially hazardous and would have a negative environmental impact were it allowed to enter our watercourses. To reduce this possibility, the landfill site at Bluegums has a liner system designed to contain any leachate. The leachate is then collected and pumped to the treatment works at Hardings Road.
The Bluegums landfill also generates gas as a by-product from the degradation of the waste. This gas is captured and destroyed or burned off via an on-site flare. Information on landfill odours and how these are mitigated can be found in the PDFs below.
The Bluegums Landfill site operates under a Resource Consent. Operational compliance with the resource consent is set out in the Landfill Management Plan. The current Landfill Management Plan and supporting Odour Management Plan can be found below:
- Bluegums Landfill Management Plan 2019 (PDF, 5.1MB)
- Bluegums Landfill Odour Management Plan (PDF, 597.5KB)
If you experience any issues with the landfill site or its associated traffic movements, please notify Council directly by email to mdc@marlborough.govt.nz
Hazardous Waste Acceptance
Asbestos waste is only accepted subject to Council approval. If the Asbestos material is accepted it can only be delivered to the landfill on a Tuesday or Thursday with the last load before 3pm.
Contaminated soils are also only accepted subject to Council approval. To have a contaminated soil assessed we will require any chemical testing results generated from a preliminary or detailed site investigation report.
Other hazardous wastes for example fuel spills are also subject to Council approval. Please confirm the volume of spill, volume of absorbent and provide any hazard data sheet for the spilt fuel.
To discuss waste acceptance for the above or any other potentially Hazardous waste please contact Council on 03 520 7541.
Landfill opening times
The Bluegums Landfill site is only open to commercial users. Members of the public should take their waste to one of the transfer stations.
The landfill is open as follows:
See public holiday opening times
| Day | Time (open) |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 7.30 am to 5.00 pm |
| Saturday | 7.30 am to midday |
| Sunday | Closed |
How much do we send to landfill?
The following tables show how much waste was sent to Bluegums Landfill for dumping along with the number of vehicle movements. This information is updated annually in July.
2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tonnage | 71,406 | 69,415 | 63,310 | 63255 |
Vehicles | 44,144 | 42,662 | 42,096 | 41,494 |
What do we send to landfill?
Council audits the waste coming into the landfill a couple of times each year. Two thirds of the waste entering the landfill came from industry/businesses. The following shows a breakdown of the waste types entering the landfill for the to 2022-23 period.
When will the landfill close?
Based on current waste inputs the landfill, subject to resource consent, is scheduled to close around 2051. The following table summarises the calculation of this lifespan and considers, remaining void space at the landfill, tonnage received each year and void space consumed each year.
Description | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
Starting Void Space | 1,909,065 | 1,850,000 | 1,788,952 |
Tonnage IN | 69,415 | 63,310 | 63,255 |
Void Space Consumed | 59,065 | 61,048 | 60,000 |
Void Space Remaining | 1,850,000 | 1,788,952 | 1,728,952 |
Compaction Factor | 1.18 | 1.04 | 1.05 |
Remaining Lifespan in Years | 31 | 29 | 29 |
Projected Year for Landfill Closure | 2052 | 2051 | 2051 |
