New Chum landfill, operated by Cleanaway, closed in November following the final waste cell being filled after more than 150 years of industrial use. Once closed we will now move to the remediation and rehabilitation of the site enabling an ecosystem of new vegetation and wildlife.
The site will close on 28 November ending 25 years of supporting urban renewal in South-East Queensland by managing construction and demolition waste that couldn’t be avoided, reused orrecycled.
The remediation and rehabilitation of the site will be undertaken in line with industry best practice and Ipswich City Council’s vision for a clean, green circular-economy city.
Cleanaway is working with Griffith University to undertake a multi-year phased “capping” of the site. The process involves construction of a capping system that supports the growth of new vegetation, managing stormwater run-off and ensuring compliance with our licence and regulatory obligations.
Griffith University has already capped around 20 per cent of the site and the work has already been recognised internationally for attracting wildlife including nesting birds and desert tree frogs.
Cleanaway General Manager Solid Waste Services Queensland Aaron Carter thanked local residents, Ipswich City Council and the State Government for their support over the past 25 years.
“As remediation and rehabilitation progresses, amenity will improve for surrounding residential suburbs. Native grasses and plants will also play a role in improving air quality as plants replace bare earth.” said Mr Carter.
The landfill is part of a network of legacy coal mines that operated for 150 years and stretches around 12km from New Chum to Swanbank. In the 1990’s governments invited waste management operators like Cleanaway into the region to use and, ultimately, remediate and rehabilitate.
This site’s third act is now under way as the university partnership applies the phytocap to minimise the movement of moisture to underlying waste while supporting vegetation growth. The research is helping inform the development of national guidelines for phytocapping.
Extensive planning, engineering and design work is under way to rehabilitate the remainder of the site, ensuring the land remains stable for future use, the environment remains protected, and the visual amenity is improved.