Fight over landfill

By Nicole Williams
LYNDHURST residents have won the backing of the City of Greater Dandenong in their bid to oppose soil treatment facility at the Lyndhurst Landfill.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the council agreed to oppose an amendment to the licence to allow the landfill to accept category ‘A’ waste, the most hazardous waste which includes Polychlorinated Biphenyls. Last year, SITA Environmental Solutions applied to the EPA have its licence amended, which would require a two kilometre buffer zone.
The Lyndhurst Landfill can currently accept category ‘B’ and ‘C’ waste.
Member of RATWISE (Residents Against Toxic Waste In the South East) Lotte Dawes said about 20,000 City of Casey and City of Greater Dandenong residents currently live and work within the two kilometre buffer zone.
She said the application did not meet the State Government’s siting and buffer requirements.
“The establishment of new sites and facilities to safely manage Victoria’s hazardous waste is essential,” Ms Dawes said.
“But not in an area that would adversely affect the people living and working with the two kilometre buffer.”
Residents attended a 20B conference with representatives from SITA and the EPA on 21 February to discuss their concerns about the proposed Soil Treatment Facility.
The meeting was attended by about 80 people and was beneficial to inform residents of the issue, Ms Dawes said.
An EPA spokesperson said the EPA was pleased with how the proceedings went at the February meeting.
The key themes discussed, along with the submissions made, will form part of EPA’s assessment of the works approval application.
Ms Dawes said any concerned residents should write to the EPA and the Department of Planning and Community Development opposing the development.