The Ridge Landfill in Blenheim is still on track for expansion in 2021.
Project manager Cathy Smith said a preferred site alternative for the expansion and preferred methods to manage both leachate and landfill gas were discussed at a recent open house.
The project includes a vertical expansion of the landfill, which Smith said was never developed to its maximum height. The expansion also includes a lateral expansion to the southwest end of the site.
"This option minimizes the overall footprint of the landfill, which is desirable and it also then means we do not have to remove one of the woodlots on site," she said.
Smith also mentioned that a draft, which was presented at the open house, has been sent to the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks. Feedback from the ministry will then carry over through the rest of the environmental assessment process.
"We have been undertaking detailed environment baseline studies but then we advance those studies with respect to the preferred site option," she said.
Smith said overall there was a good turnout for the open house in Blenheim, and the report was well received by residents. Another open house is expected to take place in the late spring of 2019.
"That [open house] comes with the draft environmental assessment report that gets submitted to the ministry, and that's the formal approval process for the expansion."
The expansion would give the landfill at least another 20 years of operation.
