The City of Joondalup has officially joined the City of Wanneroo in calling for the early closure of the Tamala Park landfill, with its council voting unanimously on Tuesday night to oppose any new works or infrastructure approvals that could prolong operations at the controversial site.
The motion, moved by Mayor Daniel Kingston, seeks to close the landfill at the earliest practicable opportunity. It also requests that the mayor and CEO meet with the state environment minister and relevant agencies to strengthen engagement with the State Government over the matter.
Unified stance against landfill extension
The decision mirrors a similar position taken by the City of Wanneroo, which has also publicly demanded that the landfill's closure be brought forward due to ongoing odour concerns affecting residents in Perth's northern suburbs.
Tamala Park has operated since 1991 and is managed by the Mindarie Regional Council (MRC). It is currently scheduled to close in 2029, although the MRC's recycling centre, transfer station, and reuse shop will remain open. The site receives waste from several Perth metropolitan councils, including Joondalup, Wanneroo, Stirling, Vincent, Perth, and Victoria Park.
Piggyback cell proposal at centre of dispute
The unified stance from Joondalup and Wanneroo comes as the MRC seeks regulatory approval for a new so-called "piggyback landfill cell". This infrastructure would allow the site to operate to its final capacity within its existing landfill footprint.
A piggyback cell involves laying a barrier over an existing waste mass, enabling additional material to be placed above it. The MRC argues that the new barrier is essential for the site's closure, as the underlying waste lacks its own liner. Without the barrier, rainwater and leachate could percolate into the unlined waste and potentially into the ground below.
Mayor's strong opposition
Mayor Daniel Kingston said the motion supports the position that the Tamala Park landfill should be closed as soon as practicable, with priority given to remediation and post-closure management. He added that the city does not support proposals, infrastructure investments, works approvals, or operational changes that would facilitate, prolong, expand, or extend landfill operations beyond what is necessary to achieve earliest closure.
Kingston expressed his belief that if the piggyback liner is not approved, "the tip would close, quite possibly within the next financial year", which he said would be "a much better outcome for our residents".
City officers support early closure
City of Joondalup officers supported Kingston's motion, stating that given the landfill is nearing closure, it was "both logical and prudent" to focus efforts on achieving closure within the earliest practicable timeframe while ensuring all environmental, remediation, and post-closure obligations are fulfilled.
In a report, city officers acknowledged that Tamala Park has served the northern metropolitan region for several decades and operated as a fit-for-purpose regional waste management facility, delivering significant benefits to member councils and the broader community. However, they noted that as the landfill approaches the end of its operational life, managing operations and associated environmental impacts becomes increasingly complex, particularly regarding fugitive odour emissions.
Ongoing odour complaints
Odour complaints from residents in suburbs surrounding the landfill, such as Clarkson, Mindarie, and Kinross, have persisted for years. The MRC has stated that once the final waste load is received, the landfill should be capped and closed within six months, but odour impacts are expected to continue for some time after.
An MRC spokesperson told PerthNow last week that some level of landfill gas generation is anticipated, which will be managed through gas collection and control systems, and that odour impacts are expected to progressively reduce over time.
