The Woodlawn Eco Precinct at Tarago, outside Goulburn, is run by Veolia. Photo: Veolia ANZ.
A NSW watchdog has issued a plan of action to a Southern Tablelands landfill after it received multiple complaints about odour.
The Woodlawn Landfill at Tarago, about 30 minutes from Goulburn in southern NSW, is managed by Veolia.
According to the Prevention Notice issued this month and available through the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) website, there are issues around leachate (a kind of wastewater) and odour.
“The EPA reasonably suspects that the licensee’s existing internal monitoring, assessment and response arrangements have not been sufficient to reliably identify, manage and prevent the conditions contributing to fugitive landfill gas emissions and odour impacts,” it states.
The notice also raises a concern that elevated leachate levels, surface liquid pooling and impaired landfill gas extraction are “operating together as an interconnected system failure” at the landfill site.
During a visit on 12 March, EPA officers observed elevated leachate levels and surface liquid pooling in the south-east of the site.
This was “more pronounced” near submerged landfill gas wells, the notice states.
The NSW EPA also claims that leachate recirculation at the landfill has been “discontinued for several years”, with this contributing to the gas capture and odour.
A review of leachate monitoring from 2022 to 2025 found “elevated and shallow” leachate, the EPA states.
“This data indicates that elevated leachate conditions are persistent rather than transient and are not being maintained within controlled parameters.”
The officers also recorded odour “at and beyond” the landfill’s boundaries.
“The odours were variously described as chemical, rotten garbage, and rotten egg or hydrogen sulphide-like in character and were frequently reported under low wind or still atmospheric conditions.”
The EPA also hit out at Veolia’s response to multiple complaints it received from the Tarago area around 12 March.
“However, these actions were largely repetitive and reactive in nature and were not supported by clear evidence that they were effective in preventing further odour impacts or addressing the underlying emission mechanisms, including elevated leachate levels and impaired landfill gas capture.”
The Prevention Notice also sets out steps for Veolia to take, such as submitting a plan of action, monitoring leachate levels in landfill gas wells and having a consultant carry out daily field odour surveys.
These must be completed according to a given timetable, with Veolia to provide regular updates on their actions.
A Veolia spokesperson told Region the company was working to “fully comply” with the Prevention Notice.
In its statement, the company said it was working with the NSW EPA to improve outcomes around its leachate and landfill gas emissions management and was also engaging independent experts.
“This is in addition to the work we have already performed, which included increasing liquid storage on-site and commissioning an interim reverse osmosis plant to enable beneficial reuse of treated water on-site and reduce volumes needed to be stored.
“We are confident that through the work we have already completed, and our plans for the coming months, that we will be able to address the issues identified by the EPA and deliver effective, independently verified improvements in the management of leachate and odour.”
