Leachate You may have heard the term ‘leachate’ in connection with landfills. It might help to understand what we mean by this term, and why we have serious concerns about where this substance is going in relation to the Mangrove Mountain Landfill at Central Mangrove. The nature of leachate Landfilled solid waste contains a variety of substances which when water passes through can be dissolved into the water. The solution percolates slowly to the base of the mound where it eventually leaches out. It is first black in colour and anoxic (depleted of oxygen, top picture), then brown or orange coloured (bottom picture) as … Continue reading Landfill Leachate by Marilyn Steiner

This landfill site in Mangrove Mountain lies in a watercourse, and in the catchment for the Central Coast potable water supply. Runoff (leachate) from the landfill flows into the catchments of Hallards and Stringybark creeks. These run into Ourimbah Creek, where water is pumped by Wyong Shire Council into Mardi Dam for the Wyong town water supply. Water is also pumped from Mardi Dam into Mangrove Creek Dam for the Gosford town water supply. The Mountain Districts Association (MDA) is concerned that both Gosford City Council (GCC) and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) have failed to exercise their respective statutory … Continue reading A potential catastrophe? Mangrove Mountain Waste Landfill