Capture and Combustion of Landfill Gas at Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot, Shellharbour City Council

Capture and Combustion of Landfill Gas at Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot is a landfill gas project located in Dunmore, New South Wales, approximately 5km south of Shellharbour and 25km south of Wollongong. Registered in January 2014, the project operates within the boundaries of the active Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot. The surrounding region is characterized by a mix of waste management and extractive industries (quarries), alongside coastal wetlands and low-lying grazing land near the Minnamurra River.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Electricity Generation from Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology involves the installation of a system to collect methane generated by the decomposition of organic waste in the landfill. Instead of being released into the atmosphere, this gas is captured and combusted, primarily to generate renewable electricity for the grid, or flared when generation is not feasible, thereby converting potent methane into less harmful carbon dioxide.

Environmentally, the Shellharbour region is classified as a high rainfall zone, typical of the Illawarra coast, with annual precipitation often exceeding 1,000mm. The local soil profile is complex due to the site's industrial nature; it sits on Quaternary aged alluvium, gravel, and coastal sands, though much of the immediate project area consists of deep fill and disturbed earth associated with long-term landfill operations.

This project represents a long-standing partnership between LGI Limited and Shellharbour City Council. LGI has installed a bespoke biogas management system that includes power generation units, allowing the site to abate carbon above its regulatory baseline. Notably, the project has successfully completed a Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC742375) with the Australian Government, marking a significant contribution to national emission reduction targets while generating revenue for the council.