Tip fire out, but end is nigh

SOUTHERN Downs Regional Council is advising residents that the fire at Dalveen waste facility has been extinguished and a new trench has been excavated for waste disposal.
Environmental Services manager Tim O’Brien said the new trench is available for use and the temporary bins that were placed at the facility have been serviced and removed.
Mr O’Brien said the council has been monitoring the fire which began on 2 February.
Council officers anticipated the fire would smoulder for about two weeks.
Mr O’Brien said he wanted to remind Dalveen residents that this will be the last trench that will be used at the waste facility.
“In October last year council advised that the Dalveen facility had limited space remaining for trenches to be excavated,” he said.
“The closest facility for the Dalveen district residents to use will be Thulimbah transfer station and we estimate this would be only an extra 10 kilometres for residents to travel, depending on their location in the Dalveen area.
“Once the current trench is full and covered, the facility will be closed,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Depending on usage, it is anticipated the trench will be full and the facility closed by the end of April to early May.
“Residents who use this facility will then need to use the Warwick waste facility or apply for a key to access the Summit or Thulimbah waste transfer stations.”
A new key will have to be issued to access the transfer stations and residents can swap their current Dalveen Landfill access key for a transfer station key.
Mr O’Brien said no bulky items or commercial waste were allowed to be taken to the transfer stations.
He said the Dalveen waste facility was being closed purely because the landfill is approaching its capacity.
The decision is in accordance with the Council’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan 2013-2023, he said.
“The Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan contains an action plan and the council will construct new stations that will provide upgraded waste disposal facilities and more opportunities for recycling of valuable raw materials,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Council wants to enhance the network of transfer stations throughout the region so that community members have easy access to a local supervised facility,” he said.