Closed Levin Landfill
The Levin Landfill operated for over 50 years on the Hokio Beach Road site until it was officially closed by Council in May 2023, following public consultation and intensive engagement with community and iwi groups.
One of the main reasons for closing the landfill was its effect on the neighbouring environment, now and in the future.
Current situation
There are several different sections to the landfill, reflecting improvements in landfill practice as new technology and regulation have developed over recent decades.
The ‘Old Dump’ portion, which closed in 2004, is an unlined landfill located on sand dunes. This portion is made up of two areas separated by an access road. Waste in Area A2 is approximately 20-25m deep and Area A1 is a shallow site with waste up to 5m deep. Area A2 has been capped with different material on three occasions, to stop gas escaping and to prevent water seeping into the landfill and increasing the leachate volumes.
The whole of Area A1 is covered in established grasses and other vegetation. Area A1 has soil cover but no formal capping and is covered in dense growth of pine trees.
The ‘New Landfill’ portion of the site was built in the early 2000s and has an impermeable bottom barrier, a leachate collection network, a gas reticulation network, and a flare to burn off methane and hydrogen sulphide.
Closed Landfill Management Plan
In September 2025 Council confirmed the landfill would remain closed and endorsed in principle a plan setting out how it will be managed over the next 30 years.
The Levin Closed Landfill Management Plan outlines how Council will continue to manage the site and address long-term environmental risks.
Levin Closed Landfill Management Plan(PDF, 6MB)
Next steps
In December 2025 Council received an independent technical review from environmental and engineering consultancy firm Tonkin and Taylor.
The review assessed the main remediation options previously considered and found that some are unlikely to deliver the best environmental outcomes.
Instead, the review pointed to other interventions that are more likely to be effective. These include improving how the existing wetland functions, looking closely at how nearby drains interact with groundwater and the Hōkio Stream, and strengthening monitoring so Council can better understand what is happening and respond early if conditions change.
Importantly, the review confirmed that recent surface water monitoring has not shown unsafe levels of ammoniacal nitrogen in the Hōkio Stream, and an ecological assessment found no evidence of current harm to stream life at the time of survey. However, it also makes clear that the current monitoring network needs to be improved to better understand how groundwater, wetlands, drains and stream flows interact across the site.
Council’s immediate focus is on action. This includes putting an enhanced monitoring framework in place to provide better, more frequent information and allow changes to be detected early. Council is also progressing practical environmental work. This will include working with iwi partners, the Neighbour Liaison Group (NLG) and Project Management Group (PMG) to explore wetland enhancement and potential drain modifications on adjacent land recently purchased by Council.
These options are aimed at strengthening natural buffering, managing risk, and protecting the Hōkio Stream over the long term.
You can view the Tonkin+Taylor report and briefing presented to elected members below.
Tonkin+Taylor - Levin Landfill Leachate Remediation Review(PDF, 457KB)
Tonkin+Taylor Levin Closed Landfill - Review of Proposed Remedial Options Presentation to Elected Members (10 December 2025)(PDF, 442KB)
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