Moama Landfill Gas Flaring Project

The Moama Landfill Gas Flaring Project is a waste sector project located in the Riverina region of New South Wales. Based on its registered coordinates, the project area is situated approximately 26 kilometers north of the major border town of Moama and 15 kilometers west of Mathoura. While the primary Moama Waste Management Facility is typically identified on Centre Road closer to the Moama township, the provided project coordinates position it amidst the flat, agricultural plains of the Murray River Council area, a region dominated by dryland cropping and grazing. The project was registered on May 6, 2024, and serves as a new emissions reduction initiative by the Murray River Council.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology incentivizes the installation of gas collection systems to capture methane generated by decomposing organic waste in landfills. By combusting this gas, in this case, through a flaring system, the project converts methane into carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas with a significantly lower global warming potential. This specific project involves installing a new collection system designed to manage gas from both legacy (historical) and non-legacy waste streams.

Environmentally, the region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with winter-dominant rainfall, averaging around 400–500mm annually. The landscape features the flat alluvial plains typical of the Murray-Darling Basin, with soil types predominantly consisting of Red Chromosols (red-brown earths) and heavy grey clays (Vertosols) near watercourses. These conditions support the region's extensive agricultural output but also dictate careful management of landfill sites to prevent leachate interaction with groundwater.

An interesting aspect of this project is its development by a local government body, the Murray River Council, often undertaken to create a revenue stream through Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) while meeting environmental obligations. The project utilizes Dylan Nichols as a participating agent and aligns with broader regional efforts to manage waste emissions, as seen in similar council-led initiatives across the Riverina.