Residents of Victoria’s most polluted suburb have welcomed an announcement by the state government that it will seal two of Brooklyn’s dustiest roads under a $2.6million partnership with Brimbank council.
Last financial year, Brooklyn residents suffered 28 days of dust levels as high as those experienced during the Black Saturday bushfires.
The World Health Organisation warns that people should not be exposed to such high levels of particle pollution for more than five days a year. On hot, windy days, Victoria’s Health Department advises Brooklyn residents to stay inside, keep their doors and windows shut and avoid exercise.
Last week, Williamstown MP Wade Noonan announced the government would contribute $1.85million and the council $750,000 to seal Jones and Bunting roads. Labor’s contribution doubles a $900,000 commitment from the former Liberal government.
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A 2011 EPA study found that Bunting Road contributed at least 23 per cent of road dust emissions and Jones Road at least eight per cent.
“Local residents have been waiting for this moment to come for a very long time,” Mr Noonan said.
“It won’t fix all the dust problems in Brooklyn, but it’s a mighty step forward.”
Brooklyn Residents Action Group secretary Bert Boere said sealing the roads was the biggest single change to reduce dust levels.
“It’ll drop the dust levels by somewhere between 40 and 50 per cent, but that said, it will still be over the limits.
“We’re six to eight times over the number of dust exceedences we’re allowed to have per year and if you drop that by half you’re still sitting on three or four … It’s not an entire solution.
”You’ve still got to tackle the sites plus the transfer off the properties.” Mr Boere said sealing the roads would make it clear which properties dirty trucks were coming from.
Last month, the Environment Protection Authority fined two Brooklyn businesses more than $7000 each for failing to minimise dust coming from their premises. Another four companies were given official warnings over mud and dust leaving their premises.
EPA manager Richard Marks said there were 27 pollution abatement notices now in place for businesses. Brimbank council is expected to start work to seal the roads by June.
