Tuncurry Landfill Gas Project

The Tuncurry Landfill Gas Project is a waste sector project located at the Tuncurry Waste Management Centre on Midge Orchid Road, approximately 4km northwest of the Tuncurry township in New South Wales. Registered on September 10, 2024, the project is operated by LGI Limited in partnership with the MidCoast Council. While the specific project area covers the footprint of the active landfill, the surrounding region is defined by a mix of coastal residential development, light industrial zones, and native bushland typical of the Mid North Coast.

The project operates under the Carbon Farming Initiative, Landfill Gas methodology. This involves the installation of a network of wells and pipes into the landfill mass to actively capture biogas (methane) generated by decomposing organic waste. Instead of allowing this potent greenhouse gas to vent into the atmosphere, the system channels it to a combustion unit (flare) where it is converted into carbon dioxide, which has a significantly lower global warming potential. The methodology requires rigorous monitoring to ensure the gas is effectively destroyed.

Environmentally, the Tuncurry region experiences a humid subtropical climate with high rainfall, conditions that accelerate the decomposition of organic waste and subsequent gas generation. The native soils of the immediate coastal area are typically sandy podzols or dermosols, though the project site itself consists of highly modified "disturbed terrain" due to its long-term use as a waste facility.

This initiative is part of a broader "carbon cutting agreement" signed in August 2024 between LGI Limited and MidCoast Council, which also includes the Taree landfill. The project uses a revenue-sharing model where the Council receives a portion of the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated, contributing to their goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. LGI has indicated that while gas capture is the primary focus, the site is also subject to feasibility assessments for potential future electricity generation.