The cost of removing leachate from green waste and composting

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WRITTEN QUESTION PUT ON 10th OCTOBER 2006 TO THE MINISTER FOR TREASURY AND RESOURCES BY

DEPUTY P.V.F. LE CLAIRE OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TABLED ON TUESDAY, 7th NOVEMBER 2006

Question

As different Committees were responsible in the past for the management of the Island's green waste and composting, is the Minister able to determine from the States' accounting records the total amount that has been spent by the States on removing leachate from green waste/potato waste for each of the years since 1995 to date?

Answer

From 1995 until 2003 the composting and potato waste leachate was managed by the Agriculture and Fisheries department.

The costs relating to Beauport have been requested within the States for many years. In 2004 a question from the then Deputy of St John was answered as follows –

The original cost estimate was for £150k, ongoing costs are approximately £20,000 per annum for tankering and £8,900 per annum for operation of the pumping station. Maintenance and remedial works continue on an as required basis with recent civil works modifications totalling £11,500 in 2003.

Costs associated with the disposal of leachate from Crabbé have been investigated. To accomplish this Millennium, the previous financial system, has been interrogated. Leachate removal from Crabbé cost an average of £39,676 per annum over the period from 1995 until 2002.

Since moving the operation to La Collette leachate removal has been undertaken by a combination of external contactors and in house staff. In addition it should be noted that the leachate has been discharged into the sewer system at the abattoir site to minimise the transportation costs. The amount of leachate produced is dependant on the weather and on how much leachate is added back into the compost to control the process.

Leachate removal from La Collette cost between £2,200 and £7,340 per annum over the period from 2003 until 2006.