Environment Canterbury is leading a project to remediate a historic landfill located north of Galletlys Road at St Andrews Beach. The landfill is situated on private agricultural land, unformed road and potentially within the coastal zone. Landfill waste occurs within a section of the beach crest, some of which has become exposed.
Council received a report from Tonkin & Taylor Limited commissioned by Environment Canterbury to undertake an assessment of options to remediate the waste found at St Andrews Beach from the St Andrews Closed Landfill.
The need for remediation has arisen from the ongoing erosion of waste onto the beach which affects the marine environment and near-shore marine ecosystems. The discharge of waste material also poses a risk to public users of the beach.
Any option for remediation must prevent or minimise further discharge of waste onto the beach and ensure that the public is not exposed to any contaminated material. The remediation cannot worsen the coastal erosion on the beach or any other adjacent site. It is of paramount importance that the public can safely access the beach for customary and recreational activities.
The report has recommended three options for remediation in addition to the status quo (do nothing). While the first option is reactive and recommends that the beach be cleaned as and when waste is exposed, the other two options recommend partial/incremental or full removal of waste from the landfill at once or over several years.
While it is too soon to understand the costs of the project and liability, Council has sought advice on the implications of the report and possible remediation measures. In the meantime, there will be ongoing conversations with landowners, Department of Conservation and other affected stakeholders.
