Murrayville residents to participate in new era of waste management
Published on 21 March 2017
Murrayville residents will be able to participate in the official opening of the area’s new $298,000 Transfer Station next week.
The Murrayville Transfer Station replaces the township’s landfill facility, allowing residents to dispose of domestic waste as well as recyclable items including green waste, timber, polystyrene and automotive oil.
The recently completed facility was jointly funded by Mildura Rural City Council ($150,000) and Sustainability Victoria ($148,000) through its Regional and Rural Landfill Support program and will be officially opened on Thursday, 30 March.
The transfer station, based at the same location as the Murrayville Landfill, will replace the landfill facility, which has been closed and is set to be rehabilitated.
Murrayville residents and key stakeholders will have an opportunity at this month’s official opening to kickstart the rehabilitation process by planting the first trees that will make up the ‘cap’ of the landfill.
The landfill ‘cap’ is a 1.3-metre layer of soil covering the surface of the landfill. Vegetation is planted in this layer of soil to stabilise it and prevent water from seeping into the waste below, allowing the site to be used for other purposes in the future.
Councillor for Environmental Sustainability Anthony Cirillo said the new facility would not only help residents more easily dispose of their waste and recycling, but ensure better environmental outcomes.
“The design and layout of the new transfer station makes it much easier for residents with mixed loads to dispose of their general waste and recyclable materials with clear and logical areas for each,” Cr Cirillo said.
“It will also offer a host of environmental benefits as landfilling has the potential to pollute land, groundwater and create landfill gas, along with potential amenity issues.
“Being a transfer station, Council will be able to transport the waste to the Mildura Landfill, meaning less impact on the environment at the Murrayville site, with the added benefit of reducing the fire risk given there will be less material.”
Sustainability Victoria CEO Stan Krpan said support for projects like Murrayville’s new transfer station was having a positive environmental impact by closing 16 smaller and less viable landfills across Victoria.
“Projects like Murrayville’s transfer station are delivering a better way to dispose of waste and increase the region’s capacity to recover valuable resources from what would have just been buried and wasted in the past,” Mr Krpan said.
“We know the vast majority of Victorians are keen to play their part to improve environmental sustainability and fight climate change. It’s great that Mildura Rural City Council has taken this opportunity to help the Murrayville region achieve that.”
The official opening ceremony for the Murrayville transfer station will take place at 1.30pm on Thursday, 30 March, followed by afternoon tea at the Murrayville Senior Citizen’s Club at 2pm. The tree-planting on the landfill ‘cap’ will start from midday.
Media enquiries
Ben Piscioneri
p) (03) 5018 8689
e) ben.piscioneri@mildura.vic.gov.au