C-cell open for business

Construction of the Copping C-cell is now complete, with Southern Waste Solutions expecting the first delivery to be made this month.

Following requests from industry and with the support of the State Government, Southern Waste Solutions set about establishing the state’s first Category C-cell waste disposal site in 2012.

After an extensive testing and approval process conducted by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), it is now ready for operation and awaiting its first delivery.

Tasmania has many industries that produce controlled waste as a by-product of their business, including agriculture, aquaculture, mining and manufacturing.

Much of this waste is temporarily stored at worksites, including built up areas and on the shorelines of various bodies of water, risking contamination of waterways and the urban environment.

Southern Waste Solutions has been responsible for waste management solutions to much of southern Tasmania and the east coast since 2001, and is expanding to include a sustainable solution to managing controlled waste in the state.

A cell is simply another word for a securely lined landfill, or a site that is used to safely bury waste as part of the process of waste management. The waste material accepted into the C-cell will generally be soil and timber contaminated with metal, all of which will be subject to independent testing and EPA approval prior to delivery at the site.

The purpose of the C-cell is to isolate waste from the surrounding environment (surface water and groundwater) in a structure that has been approved by the EPA. It undergoes regular monitoring and testing to ensure it meets all regulations and this monitoring and testing will continue indefinitely after the cell is closed and capped.

The location of different types of waste will be mapped inside the cell using a 3D GPS system, with the goal of recycling or reusing it in the future should the opportunity present itself.

The gate fee to use the Copping C-cell includes an amount that will be allocated to a trust to establish funds for ongoing monitoring and aftercare of the site once it’s been capped and closed.

The Copping C-cell is a safe distance from any water course, located approximately 2.5km away from the nearest river and its buffer zones are well in excess of EPA recommendations.

The C-cell design meets or exceeds all requirements of the EPA and relevant legislation.

It also removes the need to export category C waste to the mainland, which is both costly and unsustainable for Tasmanian businesses.

Southern Waste Solutions welcomes all questions regarding the opening of the Copping C-cell and invite anyone with a genuine interest in the facility to attend one of our community reference group meetings.

Nyrstar is set to be the first customer to make use of Tasmania’s only category C waste disposal facility, with additional contracts likely to be secured for further deliveries in the coming months.

Southern Waste Solutions also offers free personalised tours of the Copping Landfill which can be scheduled on request and tailored to specific audiences.

Further information about upcoming meetings can be found at swstas.com.au.

To book a tour please call 03 6273 9712 or email sws.finmanager@internode.on.net.