By Holly McGuinness
Residents’ hopes that the end of underground fires that have been burning for nearly three years at the Kealba Landfill could be nearly over have been dashed.
The Barro Group, which runs the landfill, has submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Authority asking for an extension to the deadline given for the fires to be out.
The current deadline is August 22, but EPA told residents at a community meeting last week, that they have fallen behind schedule.
Residents were told the Barro Group wants an extension until February to have the last hot spot out. The EPA originally gave Barro until July last year to have all the fires out.
The EPA must assess the submission and will decide whether it will be accepted.
EPA chief executive Lee Miezis says the organisation is on the community’s side with this issue and the response from Barro Group is unacceptable.
He said they were unsure if penalties would be imposed on the Barro Group.
“Our interest is in making sure this company is doing absolutely everything they can to put these hotspots out as quickly and safely as possible,” he said.
“We’ll assess [Barro Groups extension application] as we are required to do so under law but our interest is if they have done everything they can that they need to do for us to be satisfied. If they haven’t, then there will be an escalation and enforcement action by the authorities.”
At the community meeting, the EPA advised they may see an increase in odour reports and the intensity of the smell in the coming weeks.
Residents have long complained about odours coming from the side and the impact it’s had on their physical and mental health.
Brimbank councillor and affected resident Virginia Tachos said this latest application for extension is yet another blow to the community with this ongoing disaster.
“People have really been suffering with worsening odour and been told to just ‘leave their home’ by the EPA when it gets really bad.
“Highly insensitive and patronising comments don’t help – the EPA should be protecting us from the odour.”
Barro’s license is currently suspended by the EPA meaning they can’t take waste.
As reported by the Star Weekly, the Barro group said in June they were unsure whether they would reopen the site once the fires were out.
