Marsden Park LFG Emission Avoidance Project

The Marsden Park LFG Emission Avoidance Project is a landfill gas capture operation located at the Blacktown Waste Services facility in Marsden Park, approximately 45km northwest of the Sydney CBD. Registered on November 27, 2018, the project manages emissions within the boundaries of an active waste management site. The region, situated in Sydney's North West Growth Centre, is rapidly transitioning from historical agricultural uses, such as market gardening and grazing, to heavy industrial and residential developments.

Operating under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2015, the project generates carbon credits by mitigating methane emissions. This involves the installation and operation of a gas collection system, consisting of vertical extraction wells and pipework, which vacuums landfill gas generated by decomposing organic matter. The captured gas is then combusted, converting potent methane into less harmful carbon dioxide. Notably, this project claims abatement for gas generated from both "legacy" waste (deposited before July 2012) and "non-legacy" waste.

The environmental setting of Marsden Park is characterized by a temperate climate with a mean annual rainfall of approximately 800mm to 950mm. The local geology is dominated by the Wianamatta Group, consisting of shale and clay soils known as the Blacktown Soil Landscape. These soils are typically reactive and can be saline, requiring careful management within landfill operations to prevent erosion and leaching.

Blacktown Waste Services, the proponent, is a privately owned Australian company that has operated the site since 2004. In addition to the landfill gas project, the facility is licensed to accept non-putrescible commercial and demolition waste and has expanded its operations to include significant recycling capabilities for materials like wood and masonry.