The City of Wanneroo has voted to withdraw its support for the Mindarie Regional Council’s (MRC) waste-to-energy procurement process, a decision it says is aimed at accelerating the closure of the Tamala Park landfill site. The council made the resolution behind closed doors during its June meeting.
Concerns Over Landfill Extension
The MRC had been working with its seven member councils to negotiate agreements for transitioning the disposal of residual municipal waste to the Kwinana waste-to-energy facility. However, the Wanneroo council expressed concern that the proposed project could extend the life of the Tamala Park landfill, which is currently scheduled to close in 2029. As a result, the council also voted to initiate its own procurement process to secure residual waste disposal at alternative facilities.
Mayor’s Commitment to Residents
Mayor Linda Aitken said the decision demonstrates the council’s commitment to reliable waste services and planning for a future beyond landfill. “We know residents have been impacted by odour issues for many years, and remain committed to advocating for long-term solutions,” Ms Aitken said. The landfill has been a source of ongoing odour complaints from nearby residents, particularly in Wanneroo and Joondalup.
MRC Disappointed but Defends Plans
A spokesperson for the MRC told PerthNow they were disappointed by the city’s decision, especially given the “time, effort and financial cost that has been incurred by MRC and seven local governments since this process began more than five years ago.” The spokesperson clarified that the MRC does not intend to prolong the landfill’s operation beyond its planned closure date and that sending some household waste to a waste-to-energy facility has always been part of its long-term plan.
“By negotiating a waste-to-energy option for members, the council is not seeking to extend the life of the landfill beyond its current anticipated closure,” the spokesperson said. “Transitioning away from landfill-based waste management has been part of MRC’s long-term planning to provide sustainable solutions for the significant population — nearly 850,000 people — living in seven local government areas across Perth.”
Meeting State Targets and Industry Best Practice
The spokesperson added that the waste-to-energy step would have put member councils on track to meet State Government targets and provide certainty to ratepayers. “The 2028-29 estimated closure date is — and has always been — inclusive of plans to begin sending some household waste to a waste-to-energy facility during the critical final phase of landfill operations at Tamala Park. This is standard industry best practice, allowing operations to come to a gradual and controlled stop.”
Renewed Calls for Earlier Closure
Both the City of Wanneroo and the City of Joondalup, which neighbours the landfill, have recently renewed calls for the site’s closure to be brought forward as soon as practicable due to ongoing odour concerns. Meanwhile, an application by the MRC is currently before regulators seeking approval for a new so-called “piggyback landfill cell.” This infrastructure would allow the site to operate to its final capacity within its existing landfill footprint by placing a barrier over the existing waste mass, which the MRC says is crucial for leachate and groundwater protection requirements during the closure process.
