Tipping point

By Nicole Williams
THE final decision on whether to treat hazardous waste at the Lyndhurst landfill is only one step away.
SITA, the operators of the tip, are fighting for a planning permit to treat contaminated soils on the site, which would require the tip site to be rezoned to Industry 1.
An independent panel, appointed to consider hundreds of objections made to SITA’s planning application, released its report last month recommending the site be rezoned according to the application, but tied to the life of the tip.
The final decision now rests with State Planning Minister Matthew Guy, but he hasn’t seen the report.
A spokesperson for Mr Guy said the minister had not yet received a briefing on the report, so it would be inappropriate to comment until he considers the report’s findings.
Residents Against Toxic Waste in the South East (RATWISE) has been fighting against the rezoning and president Thelma Wakelan said there were a number of concerns.
“RATWISE’s concern is that the life of the Lyndhurst tip would be artificially extended by not completely filling the site so that the treatment of contaminated soil would continue,” she said.
Ms Wakelan also said RATWISE was concerned with Mr Guy’s role.
“RATWISE has a number of concerns about this proposal, not the least of these being what we see as a moral conflict of interest,” RATWISE President Thelma Wakelam said.
“How is it fair that a minister can make a decision on this proposal when he also argued a case in support of it at the panel hearing?”
Mr Guy’s spokesperon said the Department of Planning was required to make a formal submission to the panel as part of the official planning panel process.