MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire ratepayers will foot a $1.125m bill to clean up a former Crib Point tip after the site was subject to scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) four years ago.
A contractor has been appointed to undertake landfill cap rehabilitation works at the former landfill – now the Lens Reserve at 2 Lens St in Bittern – to reduce the infiltration of rainwater and prevent leakage of landfill gasses.
The project includes repairs to the existing compacted clay liner, which prevents contaminants from leaking to the surface, in areas that have been reduced to below 500mm in thickness. It would also address surface water pooling on the cap, managing steeper slopes on the eastern and western batters, removing selected trees that pose a risk to the integrity of the clay liner, and building a new walking track.
The project is in response to the Victorian EPA issuing a Pollution Abatement Notice for the site in April 2021, which requires the shire to supply a Landfill Rehabilitation Plan. Under the plan, the council must design and undertake cap rehabilitation works on areas of the landfill cap where they do not meet current EPA requirements. The production of leachate would also be reduced as part of the works and prevent landfill gas from venting directly to the atmosphere via the inadequate cap.
“The proposed works will also benefit the local residents who use the site for passive recreation, as the surface will be more uniform with a reconstructed walking track and any undulations will be eradicated,” the council report said. “Additionally, as part of the current EPA reforms for contaminated land management, the new Environment Protection Act (2017) (EP Act) that came into force on 1 July 2021, introduced a General Environmental Duty (GED) that requires businesses to manage their activities to reduce the risk of environmental damage. The proposed works will assist the shire to meet its GED, as well as manage contaminated land,” the shire report said.
The total cost of the project is $1.125 but “a funding shortfall has been identified following the submission of tenders,” the report said. Councillors at their 11 March meeting unanimously supported a council officer’s recommendation for an undisclosed tenderer to undertake the project. The contract specifies construction be carried out from June to October.
First published in the Mornington News – 25 March 2025
