History

The name Stainkoeln is a household name for most Groningen residents. For non-Groningers: the translation is stone pits, or quarry. In the past, the villa of the director of the former quarry stood on the site of our waste processing company. With the name on the facade: 'de Stainkoeln'.

In April 1980, the Stainkoeln waste dump was put into use. This as a successor to the facility in Noorderhoogebrug. The landfill was expected to serve for a minimum period of 10 years. After two renewals of permits, Stainkoeln I closed in 1995 and Stainkoeln II opened right next to it. This landfill is still in use today.

Stainkoeln I.

The useful landfill area of ​​Stainkoeln I was 25 hectares at the start, the dump height 6 meters. The southeast side is constructed with a sloping slope and the northwest side (towards the city) with a steep slope with 'terraces'. The Hunze used to run on the east side. Remnants in the form of levees can still be found here. A distance of 100 meters to the landfill site has been maintained until this former loop.

In the first 10 years, the landfill was operated on the basis of the Controlled Landfill Directive. In accordance with this guideline, particular attention was paid to the permissibility of the waste to be dumped responsibly. The industrial waste was deposited at ground level during this period. The advantage of the location is that a thick package of very heavy clay is present as an impenetrable layer. Due to the significant under-draining of the landfill installation and the seepage situation created as a result, the chance of contamination spreading through groundwater flow is virtually excluded.

In 1986 and 1987, temporary household waste was deposited in two foil compartments. When they were full, these boxes were sealed with a top foil. A degassing drainage system has been installed under the top seal. The released gas is reused and flared.

Transition phase

At the end of 1987, preparations were made for a new disposal facility for industrial waste. The province asked the Afvalverwijdering Regio Centraal Groningen (ARCG) to act as initiator for this. After a site survey and environmental impact report (EIA), the choice was made for the site right next to - south of - Stainkoeln I. The procedures for permit applications and zoning plan changes started in January 1993.

Because the preparations took much more time than originally thought, the mountain has become much higher than originally intended. Permits have been granted for this. A foil was placed underneath the waste still to be dumped on the existing waste package.

Stainkoeln II

In 1993, Waste Management Region Central Groningen (ARCG) was granted a permit under the Environmental Management Act (Wm) and the Pollution of Surface Water Act (WVO) for the treatment and processing of waste.
The various waste processing activities take place at the operational landfill site (Stainkoeln-II) and on top of the site of the former landfill site (Stainkoeln-I), which is currently in the pre-aftercare phase.

In the period from 1993 to 2001, the activities licensed in 1993 were expanded. The new activities are licensed in various extension, change permits and notifications.

Waste processing Stainkoeln bv was founded in 1995. In 1995, a public-private partnership (PPP) was also established between ARCG and Afvalbewerking Stainkoeln bv, which stipulates that:

• ARCG, as a permit holder, is involved in the supervision and acceptance of the waste to be deposited and processed
• Waste processing Stainkoeln bv operates the landfill site (Stainkoeln-2) and operates the other licensed treatment and processing techniques for waste materials at the establishment.

In the provincial landfill plan of the province of Groningen of 1997, it was decided to close four of the five landfills in the province of Groningen. As a result, Stainkoeln has been the only operational landfill site in the province since 2000.