Resource Recovery

Responsible waste management

The Uleybury Landfill is owned and operated by the Northern Adelaide Waste Management Authority (NAWMA). It is situated on the site of a former quartzite quarry and has been in use since 2005. It is a best-practice landfill (balefill) operation with strict adherence to monitoring and controls, which protect the surrounding environment.

Stages 1 and 2 of the landfill have already been completely filled, capped with topsoil and revegetated with local plant species. Since June 2016, waste has been deposited into Stage 3, which is now approaching capacity.  Due to the landfill nearing capacity, the site will cease receiving waste as of 30 June 2025 and will be revegetated, creating a scene similar to the surrounding natural landscape.

Following the closure of Uleybury, all general waste collected from kerbside collections in Salisbury, Playford and Gawler Councils will go to Integrated Waste Services (IWS) landfill at Dublin.

The closure of the Uleybury Landfill will not impact kerbside services, or the Edinburgh North and Pooraka Resource Recovery Centre’s for residential and non-commercial use.

Post-closure commitments

For an estimated 30 years after landfilling has finished, NAWMA will continue to monitor and manage the following to ensure environmental standards are met:
• Landfill gas management and extraction
• Surface water and ground water monitoring
• Leachate management and extraction
• Revegetation programs and monitoring of plant health

Ground water protection

Leachate is contaminated water that has filtered through residual waste. Moisture from rainfall and the breakdown of organic matter trickles through waste, dissolving contaminants. The resultant leachate is a black liquid (resembling coca cola) that cannot be allowed to pollute the natural ground water (aquifer), which is located around 100 metres below the base of the landfill.

To protect the ground water, the site was constructed with a triple layer (clay and synthetic) liner that provides an impermeable barrier at the sides and base of the landfill (see photo). Leachate is collected on the surface of the liner and pumped to evaporation ponds. The dry matter left behind, is returned to the landfill. Ground water is monitored through regular testing of samples from a network of bores across the site to ensure acceptable environmental standards are upheld.