Toxic answers sought

SCORES of Greater Dandenong residents stormed the City of Casey council chambers this week in a bid to step up their campaign against toxic waste dumping at Lyndhurst.
A packed Casey council chamber on Tuesday night was an unusual sight for regular meeting-goers.
But the sight was almost a mirror of several Greater Dandenong meetings last year while the issue of Lyndhurst tip was being discussed.
Residents Against Toxic Waste In The South East (RATWISE) members applauded City of Casey mayor Colin Butler’s notice of motion to write to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) requesting an outline of the future of the Taylors Road site.
Cr Butler’s notice of motion, passed by the Casey council, asked the EPA to tell the council the expected lifespan of the site, and provide assurances that tip operator SITA adhered to the EPA licence and any planning permits.
Cr Butler also requested details of the immediate and long term risks to the environment as a result of the landfill site, and the implications for Lyndhurst of the State Government’s decision not to build a new toxic waste facility in Mildura.