Board Meeting: September 2014
Agenda Number: 12 (viii)
File Ref: EV0024
LORD HOWE ISLAND BOARD
Business Paper
ITEM
Waste Management Facility EPA Licence
BACKGROUND
A licence (No. 10466) to pollute under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act has
been in place for the Waste Management Facility since 2000. The licence, administered by
the EPA, regulates the two activities of composting and waste disposal to land and required,
amongst other things, the regular monitoring of the quality and volume of effluent discharged
from the on-site wastewater treatment system. Through the Board’s laboratory and a
mainland laboratory, fortnightly and monthly testing of the effluent has been undertaken to
monitor compliance with the licence conditions.
On the anniversary of the licence in June each year, the Board is required to submit an
Annual Report, summarising the results of the previous 12 months of monitoring, providing
reasons for non-compliance and addressing other requirements of the licence. There are
penalties of $250,000 for supplying false or misleading information as part of these reports,
and $1,500 fines for providing a report which is late.
Throughout the year, regular reports are provided to the EPA and monitoring data is
published on the Board’s website every month.
The EPA typically reviews the licence conditions every 5 years and in between these times
can amend the licence, putting in place Pollution Reduction Programs (PRP) to enforce
improvements in how a licensee is operating under the licence. An example of a PRP for the
WMF licence was an Effluent Disinfection Investigation undertaken by the Board in 2005.
CURRENT POSITION
Earlier this year, the EPA initiated a regular review of the WMF licence. Board staff were
given an opportunity to review the proposed conditions and some negotiation occurred
around timeframes for implementation. In brief, the changes to the licence are:
1. The primary activity has been changed from Waste Disposal to Land to Waste
Storage. This has had a positive result, halving the annual licence fee to $1,808 from
2014/15 onwards.
2. The existing groundwater monitoring well in the dune to the east of the compost area
of the WMF has been added to the monitoring points for the licence. This requires
that quarterly sampling and testing of the groundwater well be completed and
reported on. This well is part of the network of monitoring wells around the Island
which are being tested annually. The intention of this change is to monitor the
impacts of the compost area on the groundwater.
3. The existing monitoring point for the effluent discharged from the on-site wastewater
treatment system has had the list of pollutants to be tested expanded.
4. A new Pollution Reduction Program (PRP) has been created requiring the installation
of a new groundwater monitoring well in the dune to the east of the main WMF
building by 24 December 2015. The intention of this well is to monitor the impacts of
the wastewater disposal area on the groundwater. It is planned to utilise equipment
that would be involved in the runway resurfacing and drainage project to install the
well in July\August 2015.
5. A new PRP has been created requiring the construction of a new concrete hardstand
for the compost storage area by 24 December 2015. The intention of this is to reduce
the potential for contamination of the groundwater by the composting activities.
Planning has commenced to include a bid for capital funding for this project for
2015/16 and also seek grant funding for the remainder under the Waste Less
Recycle initiative. In addition, the proposed slipway at the WMF site may be
incorporated into the concrete hardstand area. The estimated cost of the concrete
hardstand is approximately $200,000-$300,000.
The combined changes to monitoring requirements under the new licence have increased
annual mainland laboratory testing costs from approximately $850 to $2,500.
The Annual Report to 6th June 2014 reported no complaints and no non-compliances with
the licence conditions.
Board staff have commenced monitoring in accordance with the new licence conditions.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board note the above information.
Prepared __________________ Andrew Logan
Manager, Infrastructure & Engineering
Services
Endorsed __________________ Penny Holloway
Chief Executive Officer