RATS, LITTER AND TOXIC WASTE: NSW RURAL LANDFILLS IN CRISIS

Monday, 10 February 2003 10:00

"The report identifies that rural landfill sites are failing to control pests, litter, odour and accepting toxic waste," said Ben Cole, Chemicals Campaigner at Total Environment Centre.

"We are also concerned about the apparent relaxed attitude of the EPA - landfill pollution licensing has been in place for five years, it's urgent the problems are fixed."

The findings were disclosed in the EPA's Rural Waste Landfill Facilities Industry Sector- Compliance Performance Report. The report audited 30 of 85 existing landfills licensed outside of Sydney's Metropolitan area. Some of the most startling revelations include;

· 75% of landfills were inadequately covering waste to minimise environmental impacts.
· 70% were not covering waste adequately to reduce pest, vermin and the generation and dissemination of weeds.
· 50% of landfills were not adequately screening waste entering the site.
· 23% were accepting potentially toxic waste (fuel drums, batteries, pesticide bottles) without permission.

"As rainwater moves through and is trapped within a landfill site a highly toxic soup is produced. This soup can contain heavy metals, hazardous organic chemicals and can emit toxic fumes. Yet 20% of rural landfills were making no attempt to capture this toxic soup which can then flow into the groundwater and adjacent waterways."

"This report is a clear message to the state government that current landfilling practices are irreversibly damaging the environment and threatening public health. There is only one solution, they must be phased out," said Ben Cole.

Total Environment Centre is calling on the state government to ensure that all current rural landfilling activities are replaced with recycling facilities, the separation of all organic waste with other materials and the development of extended producer responsibility for all potentially toxic products.