Environmental watchdog considers next steps for Greymouth landfill

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Brendon McMajon

An investigation by an environmental watchdog has carried out interviews and gathered evidence from a controversial private landfill near Greymouth.

The West Coast Regional Council announced on January 12 it had asked the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to take over the compliance investigation of TaylorvilLe Resource Park at Coal Creek, 5km east of Greymouth.

A team of up to six people from the EPA in Wellington had visited the landfill site to gather evidence by the end of January.

EPA investigations manager Jackie Adams said they were reviewing and considering all the information and consents they had gathered "to inform our next steps".

"Since the EPA started the investigation, we have visited the site, conducted interviews, and have been gathering other evidence to inform the investigation," he said.

"As part of this process, we have also collected multiple water samples during different weather conditions and had these analysed."

Adams did not say what the next steps would be, but EPA would make a statement in due course.

West Coast Regional Council chief executive Darryl Lew told councillors on January 29 it would be for the EPA to determine a final resolution, pending the investigation.

He said the EPA's investigation on the site's compliance was "the most complex" under council's watch.

The council called in the organisation after a string of environmental complaints about the site in 2023.

Allegations included water from landfill pits leaching into a roadside drain, dust allegedly containing asbestos, and an obnoxious pong emanating from the site. The later forced nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.

The Grey District Council and local residents also raised concerns with the regional council not considering them affected parties to the original non-notified consents process in 2021-22.

The district council was primarily worried by a potential risk of the landfill compromising the adjoining Greymouth water treatment plant.
WorkSafe is also investigating the landfill after two workers were injured at the site.

On August 3, two landfill workers were also overcome by noxious gas within one of the dump cells.

One man was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition.
The site was cleared by WorkSafe later in August to allow work to resume on the site, pending its ongoing investigation.

On February 27, WorkSafe said its investigation remained ongoing and could take up to 12 months to complete.

WorkSafe said its own investigation did not cross over with that of the EPA.

Lew on January 29 also noted council's own reassessment of the consents for the site is ongoing.

In mid-2023 independent reviewer Enviser slammed council's approach to resource consenting as reliant on "a tick box exercise".

LDR has approached Taylorville Resource Park several times offering it the opportunity to respond.

The site was consented amid a genuine call in the area for landfill space to take demolition material after new seismic requirements anticipated increased demolitions.