Support for toxic waste dump site

By Shaun Inguanzo
ENVIRONMENTAL lobbyists fighting to prevent the dumping of hazardous waste at Lyndhurst landfill have thrown their support behind a toxic waste tip in the Mallee.
Their support comes as Mallee residents, environmentalists and councils fight to quash the State Government’s plan to establish a toxic waste site at the Hattah Nowingi site.
Residents Against Toxic Waste in the South East (RATWISE) is awaiting the results of a tribunal hearing that will determine whether Lyndhurst landfill owner SITA is in breach of its council permit by dumping hazardous waste.
As reported in Star last November, the Lyndhurst case hinges on the definition of ‘hazardous waste’.
If the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) rules SITA is dumping hazardous waste, then another site must be found to dump it.
RATWISE spokeswoman Geraldine Gonsalvez said it was important that the state find a suitable location to dump what is commonly called ‘prescribed waste’.
This week, RATWISE made a submission to the Planning Panel of Victoria in favour of the Mallee toxic waste site. The group said the State Government’s proposed site satisfied environmental criteria, such as little threat of flooding, was generally flat and ground water flowed ‘away from sensitive uses’. RATWISE said the Mallee site would be located on poor quality land in a low-rainfall area.
But the Save the Food Bowl Alliance, a group comprised of residents, business owners and environmentalists from the Mallee district remain opposed to the site.
“There are a range of issues that make the Hattah Nowingi site unsuitable for a toxic waste dump,” a statement from the group said.
“From the proximity of the endangered Mallee Fowl, groundwater leaching back into the Murray Basin, proximity of the iconic Hattah Lakes, and being right in the middle of one of the state’s largest clean and green food production areas.”