Cr Ray Fairweather successfully moved that the council investigate capturing the methane produced from landfill as a means of mitigating council’s anticipated $2.2 million carbon tax liability.

“It’s a cost to ratepayers and to people dumping items at the tip,” he said.

Council revealed it had entered a contract with LMS Energy and the technology would be installed within three months with gas capture to happen before year’s end.

“At this stage, the reduction effect on council’s carbon liability is unknown,” environment manager Bernie Mortomore said.

Cr Fairweather moved that the general manager David Evans report to council about all possible means of reducing emissions at the tip site and, of those options, which might reduce the impost of the carbon tax on ratepayers.

“I have been following the climate change issue closely, and I was surprised at the $2.2m cost,” he said.

“It is included in the increased charges at the tip and any mitigation would be saving ratepayers.”

Cr Fairweather asked how much methane gas was being generated and if it might be enough to provide electricity to the grid.

Mr Mortomore said LMS Energy would determine if power generation would be viable.

“In the landfill context, if methane is being generated, then a landfill gas extraction system can be installed to capture the gas, pass it through a flare to convert it to carbon dioxide and reduce the carbon footprint of the site,” he said.

Methane is 21 times more detrimental to the environment than carbon dioxide.