Preliminary works have started on a deep wall at the Stevensons Road landfill.By Bridget Brady
SPECIALISED equipment from overseas will be used to construct a deep wall to block methane gas at the Stevensons Road landfill.
A modified drilling rig with a claw bucket, one of only a few in the world, will be used for the construction of the wall.
The deep wall, costing more than $11 million, will be built along the western and northern boundaries of the closed landfill near the Brookland Greens estate in Cranbourne by July.
City of Casey council said the 830 metre long and up to 35 metre deep wall would significantly reduce the risk of methane gas escaping from the landfill.
Some residents evacuated their homes in September last year after dangerous levels of methane were found in the nearby estate, Brookland Greens.
Casey’s environment team leader, Michael Jansen, said the wall would be a second layer of defence in addition to the gas extraction works at the site, which were “still the main game”.
“This is part of the total package,” Mr Jansen said.
The material used to build the wall is a bentonite cement slurry mix. Preparation works have started on the wall and residents could experience some odours from the works.
Mr Jansen said an underground wall was chosen because the landfill was close to houses.
Mayor Geoff Ablett said the council was in almost daily contact with some of the Brookland Greens residents to inform them about works at the landfill.
