Tara Murray
Brimbank councillors have questioned Cleanaway’s decision to seek to dump asbestos at its Ravenhall site.
As reported by Star Weekly, Cleanaway wants to accept asbestos at the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall.
The company is seeking approval from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to amend its licence to permit the receival and disposal of asbestos waste at the site.
The site falls in the Melton council area and borders Brimbank.
At the most recent Brimbank council meeting, Cr Virginia Tachos raised a notice of motion in which the council would write to Cleanway and the state government, advising of the council’s strong objection to and significant concerns about the disposal of asbestos at the Melbourne Regional Landfill.
Cr Tachos said the west is already dealing with the burden
“Brimbank and Melbourne’s west already has its great share of landfill, we are already experiencing incredible legacy issues associated with contaminated sites,” she said.
“It means our communities carry the burden for waste management practices not just for now, but for future generations to come
“We currently have a landfill hotspot fire [at Kealba] burning for 24 months.
“I question asbestos as an inert compound [and whether it] should be safe underground, that’s what they said about the inert landfill in Kealba and we have seen compounds to have the ability to react with other compounds.”
Cr Maria Kerr said it was time they all stood up as a council and to stop the west being a dumping ground.
Cr Bruce Lancashire, who is the council’s representative on Cleanaway’s community reference group, said he had expressed his concerns straight away.
He said couldn’t be convinced how the transporting of the material to Ravenhall via trucks could be safe.
“I didn’t believe the council would support this sort of activity occurring.”
Two community consultation sessions will be held this week.
Details: ow.ly/1pGu50GU1b0.
