Contract awarded for Caithness landfill site extension

Work begins this week on a £950,000 extension to the Seater Landfill Site, near Bower, Caithness.

Rok Construction have been commissioned by The Highland Council to construct a ninth cell at the site, which opened in 1990 and has capacity to continue in operation until 2040.

Seater Landfill Site operates under a Pollution Prevention and Control Permit issued and enforced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. This permit includes stringent requirements for securing full containment, leachate and gas collection systems and controls as part of the cell construction specification.

The site has planning permission until 2040 and there is sufficient land available to construct a further 16 cells in the future. Landfilling tonnage has dropped dramatically over the past five years as more and more waste is recycled and diverted from landfill.

39,800 tonnes were landfilled in 2005/06 compared to 22,600 tonnes in 2009/10. Reduced inputs mean that each cell will now take longer to fill. 

Granish Landfill Site in Aviemore is the only other Council operated landfill site in The Highland Council area. It has an estimated capacity to last up to 2016.

Councillor David Flear welcomed the Council spending in Caithness.
He said: “Seater Landfill Site is well run and has a very good safety and compliance record. This new cell will bring good news to our construction industry.”


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