Works have begun to remediate a former landfill site in Newcastle where three million tonnes of waste is estimated to be buried next to the Ramsar-listed Hunter wetlands.
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The remediation of the Astra Street site at Shortland, which operated from 1974 to 1995, is underway after Daracon Contractors was awarded a $26 million contract for the works.
The rehabilitation is one of four major projects included in Newcastle council's $132 million capital works program, with $18.6 million allocated this financial year.
Investigations council undertook in 2021 found the work needed to improve the 20-year-old capping and drainage on the 37-hectare site were significantly more complex and costly than previously expected.
The project will include capping and reprofiling, drainage improvements to manage surface water and sediment runoff and revegetation and landscaping. The works are expected to be completed by mid-2024.
Two designs for the capping solution were developed - a geosynthetic clay lining and a clay capping solution. A clay capping solution was chosen due to reduced cost and risk, council said.
City of Newcastle executive director city infrastructure Joanne Rigby said council had been working alongside the Environment Protection Authority on a landfill closure plan for the Astra Street site to ensure it adheres to environmental standards.
"This project is an important priority for protecting the long-term health of the nearby Ramsar-listed Hunter Wetlands and surrounding waterways," she said.
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