Rototai dumpsite works: more details from TDC
Work being done at the old Rototai dumpsite has attracted public interest (GBW 1/4 and 9/4). TDC’s utilities asset engineer David Stephenson has provided The GB Weekly with more information about the site, the work and possible future developments.
The 4.5-hectare site is one of 22 former landfills in the Tasman District that the council monitors and maintains. Each one is subject to an inspection and reporting regime.
“The key objective is to make the surface safe, while making the site easy to maintain. The fill that’s being put on the site at the moment is to provide a cap,” explained Mr Stephenson. “It’s pretty generally agreed that best practice is to maintain a 500-600mm cap to prevent users unearthing what’s been buried there previously. Once the cap is there, we’ll sow grass and finish the site.”
The old landfill is inspected every second year. It is currently leased for grazing and Mr Stephenson said that once the northern end is resown that is likely to continue to be the use for the short-term future.
“Council has not yet decided about long-term use,” he said. “That’s simply a bridge that hasn’t been crossed. Some in-house discussions have taken place but nothing has been looked at in any detail.”
There has been concern about leachate from the site, especially because it is so close to the Motupipi estuary. On the basis of the inspections undertaken, Mr Stephenson says that time is likely to be taking care of the problem.
“After the analysis we’ve done it’s seen as a low-risk site. Because it hasn’t been used for 15 years, there’s unlikely to be any further significant leachate, he said.
Mr Stephenson reiterated that the Rototai site is closed to the public and “not a good place to go”.
“It will look better once this end is regrassed and able to be grazed. Obviously people should be taking their refuse and recyclables to the Scott’s Road Transfer Station anyway.”
Neil Wilson
