Derrinallum Transfer Station Redesign

Update November 2023

Council has allocated $200,000 in its 2023-2024 Budget to implement priority elements of the redesign. These works will be occurring through the current financial year and will improve user experience and safety of the site for users and contractors.

Background

Derrinallum Transfer Station is located on the western side of Mount Elephant near the township of Derrinallum. The Derrinallum Transfer Station has been in operation since the late 1990s. Prior to this there was a small landfill located to the north of the current Transfer Station area. A former quarry and public reserve (Mt Elephant) borders the eastern boundary of the site. There is a walking track which has received some planting of indigenous vegetation on the Mt Elephant Reserve.

The Transfer Station services the Derrinallum community receiving around 100 tonnes of waste per annum and other recyclables. Waste streams include municipal and industrial waste, commingled recycling, garden organics, waste motor oil, gas bottles, E-waste and scrap metal. The Transfer Station is open to the public on Fridays and Sundays 1 pm to 5 pm and services the townships and surrounding areas of Derrinallum, Darlington and Lismore.

The Redesign Project

Council Officers initiated a redesign project through contractor Senversa to perform an initial analysis and propose a plan for optimal site layout.

The redesign of the Derrinallum Transfer Station will seek to:

• improve the user experience and safety of customers through clear traffic management at the unloading areas and one way traffic when exiting the facility.
• improve waste separation and allow intervention by the Transfer Station Attendant for redirection of recyclable goods and checking for hazardous wastes (such as asbestos), by locating the Site Office at the entrance to the bin area.
• improve the access by the general public on the Mount Elephant walking route, which is currently difficult to define amongst vehicle tracks, with a dedicated walking track path that does not intersect the traffic flow of the Transfer Station or stack site. The transfer station will be fully fenced to prevent unsupervised access to the Transfer Station.  

View the Redesign Plan. 

You can access a full resolution version of the site map here.(PDF, 970KB)

Council Officers also need to increase the types and volumes of waste streams collected at the Transfer Station to meet the legislation requirements of the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Bill 2021. Currently there is limited space for additional waste streams including a dedicated glass recycling stream collection point.

Benefits of introducing a separate glass service includes: 

• Improvement to the recycling process
• Prevention of contamination to other recycling with broken glass
• Recovery of more resources
• Better recycling outcomes (recycled into higher value products, not down cycling)
• Save money – less to landfill
• Reduce GHGs 

The legislated requirements for inclusion of a separate glass stream collection from commingled recycling has allowed Council to access State funding for installation of infrastructure for the glass collection infrastructure, including extension of an existing retaining wall and building a raised area for the proposed new site hut location.

On completion of the optimisation plan, Council Officers will be able to implement upgrades as future budgets become available. Council Officers will continue to seek funding opportunities to implement upgrades gradually over time with a mix of both grants and Council allocations.