By Janet Brown
The Victorian government made an appalling decision in supporting CSR's proposal for a prescribed waste landfill (toxic dump) at Werribee. Corporate profits have been put ahead of community rights and concerns. Since planning minister Robert Maclellan's recommendation, false claims have been made by him, premier Jeff Kennett and CSR.
There are two facilities proposed for the Werribee site. The toxic dump landfill for prescribed industrial waste has so far received most media comment.
The landfill would receive up to 120,000 tonnes of toxic waste per year for the next 10 years, at least. The waste to be dumped would include arsenic, cadmium compounds, heavy metals (including lead and mercury compounds), asbestos and other highly dangerous substances. Many of the chemicals are recognised carcinogens and mutagenic substances.
Overseas experience shows that toxic dumps leak. Liner failures, accidents due to human error and ageing equipment almost inevitably result in environmental contamination and dangers to the health of nearby residents.
When CSR state that "half the material delivered to the site will be green garden waste" (Age, p.6, May 8), readers may incorrectly believe that this organic material will be deposited in the toxic dump. In fact, a separate composting facility for organic waste is to be located next to the toxic dump. This composting facility, too, concerns residents and farmers because CSR has done no reliable studies on the environmental and health implications of dust and bio-aerosol emissions.
Werribee is one of Victoria's residential growth corridors. Its market gardens provide more than 20% of Australia's vegetables. As well, the proposed dump is adjacent to the internationally protected RAMSAR wetlands.
Despite the fires, spillage, dust storms and major leakages from the dump that threaten a large number of people, food supplies and the environment, CSR and the government claim that the toxic dump is necessary because the existing facility at Tullamarine is about to close. However, the government has just extended Tullamarine's licence for five years. There is no need for the Werribee facility.
The Environment Protection Agency's (EPA) new industrial waste management strategy (Zeroing in on Waste, launched on April 29) encourages industry to reduce the amount of waste produced. As this policy is implemented, the amount of toxic waste should decrease, reducing the burden on existing disposal facilities. No new toxic dump is needed in Victoria.
Maclellan, in his widely publicised open letter to the people of Werribee, said that the proposed toxic dump "should be managed as far as possible as a repository for the storage of wastes until their recovery for further treatment or use becomes feasible". However, CSR's "dry tomb technology" does not — and cannot — make this possible.
Waste recovery requires total containment. To fulfil Maclellan's commitment, CSR's dump would have to be an impervious, sealed facility in which wastes are separated into components. It is not. Even CSR's own estimate is that more than 20 million litres of waste will leak from the dump into the environment during the first 15 years.
The EPA cannot possibly issue an approval for a facility that is not needed, is not a sealed storage receptacle from which waste can be retrieved and treated, and which contradicts the agency's well-considered policy of discouraging further dumping of industrial waste.
As for the composting facility, the composting requirements of the western region of Melbourne are already well serviced. The proposed facility would mainly serve CSR's need for disposal of pine waste from its Mt Gambier plantations. There is no reason why this need should be met in Werribee.
Werribee residents have monitored CSR's environmental management at various other facilities and found the company guilty of ongoing environmental vandalism. A document search under the Freedom of Information Act by Werribee residents revealed that CSR has a history of failing to adhere to licensing requirements and has flagrantly disregarded EPA concerns.
Since the minister's recommendation that the dump go ahead, it has become clear that the premier and state planning minister do not understand the proposal. Kennett revealed his lack of knowledge on radio 3AW on May 28 when he said that farmers are concerned about "insects" from the composting facility. In fact, the "bugs" the farmers are worried about are the myriad of mycotoxins and bio-aerosols which would be generated by the composting plant.
Werribee residents are well informed. Over the past two years we have learnt about the engineering parameters, the scientific and health issues, and the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of CSR's proposal. On May 4, 15,000 of us attended a rally to make it clear that they will never allow this facility to go ahead.
We are angry that the government has made a recommendation when it is so obvious that it is misinformed. This is not leadership, it is bad government. The emperors are wearing no clothes and thousands of us have noticed.
Werribee Residents Against the Toxic Dump are holding a protest rally on World Environment Day, June 5, at 5pm outside state parliament. For more information about the campaign, telephone (03) 9741 6306.
[Janet Brown is a member of Werribee Residents Against the Toxic Dump.]