Our History

Nelson City

The now-closed Atawhai landfill was bounded by Queen Elizabeth II drive to the northwest, Atawhai Drive to the east, Weka Street to the south and Sovereign Street to the west. The site was operated for about 40 years until 1987 at which point it was capped with clay from Walters Bluff to make way for Founders Heritage Park, Whakatū Marae, Neale and Guppy Parks and residential homes. The closed landfill is monitored and maintained by Nelson City Council.

The York Valley landfill was opened in 1987. Original planning for the York Valley landfill took place in the 1970s. The goals were to have a site that:

  • Was out of view of residential and public roads

  • Would not lead to any landslip or undue subsidence

  • Minimised the risk of any waterway pollution

  • Avoided any amenity-value conflicts

  • Reduced traffic movements on residential streets

The site is approximately 3.5 hectares and is situated in a steep-sided gully facing in a northerly direction. The Grampians Reserve is to the north of the site and the surrounding hillsides are well planted providing visual screening. The initial concept for the York Valley landfill in Bishopdale, was to incorporate a transfer station at the entrance to the site, but this was eventually located in Vivian Place, Tahunanui.

Settling ponds were created to remove sediment runoff to protect York Valley Stream and many years before the landfill opened, a flood retention dam had been constructed just below the entrance to the landfill facility. Leachate from the landfill is gravity-fed to the city’s sewage reticulation system. In the late 1990s the site was re-shaped to reduce stormwater runoff issues and provided better coverage disposal areas.

The York Valley landfill has a consented life until 31 December 2034. There is scope for extending the landfill into several adjacent gullies, but the current agreement between the two councils is for the next stage of the Eves Valley landfill to be used at that time, however this will be the subject of future investigations by the NTRLBU.

It is acknowledged that historically, there were some poor management practices, particularly in regards to environmental practices, but these are of a by-gone era. For example, in the previous century there was a large open pit for coal tar disposal from the city’s gas works site. This was discontinued and the site has been capped and surrounded by a clay bund. Another by-gone feature was the septage pit for septic tank loads from rural areas as well as grease trap waste from commercial premises. Both of these practices created odour and leachate issues. Septic waste is now received at the Nelson Regional Sewerage Scheme at Bell Island.

Landfill gases, predominantly methane and carbon dioxide, are produced when bacteria break down organic waste, predominantly food scraps and garden matter. Until November 1998, all landfill gas was unvented, until a flare was installed enabling the destruction of methane gas. Regulations now require modern, open landfills to flare the gas they produce, or use it for some other beneficial purpose, such as generating electricity. A new enclosed flare was installed in 2022 significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling the older flare to be relocated for use on-site at Eves Valley landfill.

  • Appleby

  • Cobb Valley (Ernies Flat)

  • Collingwood RRC

  • Kaiteriteri

  • Lodders Lane

  • Māriri RRC

  • Māriri (old)

  • Murchison RRC

  • Murchison (old)

  • Ngatimoti

  • Old Wharf Road

The Council is responsible for maintenance and monitoring of all 22 closed landfills.

Eves Valley landfill is located approximately 5km north-west of Brightwater in Waimea West. It opened in 1989 and closed in 2017. 

Stage 1 of the landfill was filled in July 2002, with the final capping being completed in March 2005. It had a capacity of approximately 184,500 tonnes (217,000m3). Stage 2 construction was completed in August 2000 and filling commenced in July 2002 with a design capacity of 435,000m3 in a valley-type landfill. At 30 June 2017, when waste disposal operations ceased, approximately 418,200 tonnes of solid waste had been placed in Stage 2. The construction of Stage 2 included an HDPE liner in the base of the landfill on clayey gravels which formed a natural liner above the base footprint.

In the last few years of operation Stage 2 was progressively shaped for closure and covered with intermediate soil cover. In 2019 Stage 2 was capped using clayey soils. Later in 2020 the area was top soiled and grassed.

Leachate is currently collected from the base of Stages 1 and 2 of the landfill and from collectors placed at the interface of succeeding layers of waste. Leachate is collected in a storage pond on site and pumped to Brightwater where it joins the TDC sewerage network.

Tasman District

The Council maintains 22 closed landfills around the district, including three privately owned landfills, which have historically been used to dispose of various materials including domestic waste, rubble, farm waste, scrap metal etc. Some of these locations have been natural low points in the topography and have been filled by previous landowners or used as community tips, others have been historic fly tipping locations and at some sites the material has been deposited above the natural ground level. Since the disposal of material at these sites has ceased, each of the sites have been covered and restored to varying degrees. Many of the sites are now overgrown with vegetation.

  • Pah Point

  • Richmond RRC

  • Rototai

  • Tapawera

  • Waiwhero

  • St Arnaud

  • Tasman/Highway

  • Hoult Valley

  • Upper Moutere

  • Upper Tākaka

  • Tasman/Kina

NTRLBU HISTORY

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