Kingfisher Road Site
In October 2001, Kingfisher Road ceased to operate as a landfill (tip) and became a Waste Transfer Station. The hole in the ground used for landfill has become a mountain full of garbage. This site will need ongoing monitoring due to the production of gases and runoffs associated with the decomposition of the buried putrescible waste.
The closure of the landfill has not affected residents depositing their waste at the site but it will affect commercial operators. This type of waste now goes to the Cairncross Waste Management Facility.
Kingfisher Rd will accept ALL waste dropped off by residents and any commercial/residential loads of separated waste. For example, loads of:
- Untreated timber
- Green organic material (domestic only)
- Recyclable materials
- Steel & other metals
- Broken concrete & masonry
The timber and green organic material is mulched and sent to Cairncross to the ORRF (Organics Resource Recovery Facility) to be included in the composting process. It can also be used in other Council works.
The recyclables are sorted at the new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at Cairncross, and are then sent to the appropriate recycling plants for reprocessing.
The steel and metal are sold to scrap metal merchants for recycling and reuse.
The concrete and masonry is crushed and then sold for various uses, including road base.
Cairncross Waste Management Facility
The Port Macquarie-Hastings Council opened the new facility at Cairncross in November 2001. The new waste facility is the first of its kind in Australia, and was designed, constructed and is now managed by Remondis (formerly Rethmann Australia Environmental Services Pty Ltd). It is made up of two components - the landfill, managed by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and the Organics Resource Recovery Facility (ORRF), managed by Remondis.
The Organics Resource Recovery Facility (ORRF) processes green organics and biosolids, while the other half of the facility, which is used for processing mixed solid waste and rendering it inert for landfill.
Commercial waste operators and residents can take their waste loads here. There is a small transfer station for residents to drop off separated general waste, recyclables, batteries, gas bottles and tyres. Larger stockpile areas are available for drop-off of green organics, metals, timber, construction waste and concrete and masonry.
The Landfill
Only inert waste goes to landfill at Cairncross. Inert means that it is chemically stable and no further breaking down will occur. Most of this waste comes from residential red bins (after treatment) and commercial waste contractors.
Mixed Solid Wastes
When residents red bins are picked up they are taken to Cairncross for processing.
The contents pass through a special mill, which selectively grinds up the material. A magnet removes ferrous materials for recycling, with the material then separated into organic and inert streams. The remaining organic fraction is processed in an aerated static pile processing area for between 3 and 4 weeks. During this time, the air is drawn through the material via special aeration channels built into the floor.
This stabilization process results in a mass reduction of approximately 20% and an end product that is virtually free from odour and leachate and will not generate significant levels of gas when landfilled.
As with other process air from the ORRF, air from the aerated static pile is passed through a Biofilter to remove odours.
The Organics Resource Recovery Facility (ORRF)
This facility was established to process organic waste into high quality compost, and has the capacity to receive 15,000 tonnes per annum of organic material. This technology is a first for Australia, although Rethmanns have a long history working with this type of technology in Europe.
The material from the green bins collected from the kerbside along with other mulched bulk green organics, is shredded and mixed with bio-solids (sewage sludge) from Council's Sewage Treatment Plant, placed in climate-controlled tunnels to hasten the decomposition process. Process air and fresh air is forced into the material at the base of the tunnel and recycled process water is added via sprays at the top of the tunnels when required. All exhaust air from the composting tunnels is passed through a Biofilter to remove odours and particulates. The compost is removed after about 4 weeks and placed in the open air to dry out.
This end product is available for sale from the site.
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