Tara Murray
The Anti-toxic Waste Alliance has renewed its calls for greater action to prevent fires at waste and recycling centres.
On August 1, Fire Rescue Victoria crews were called to put out a rubbish fire at Cleanaway’s Brooklyn Resource Recovery Centre.
It follows a fire at the same site In January, which resulted in an advice warning being issued for 17 suburbs.
An Environment Protection Authority spokesperson said it was currently investigating the cause and response to the fires in Brooklyn to determine whether any breaches of the Environment Protection Act have occurred.
The fire is the latest in a long line in Melbourne’s north-west in the last 12 months, including two in Campbellfield last week.
The Kealba Landfill fire has been burning for more than 18 months, affecting many residents.
Anti-Toxic Waste Alliance president Colleen Hartland has called for the state government to step in and take action to prevent such fires.
“This is one of the ongoing problems for the EPA and the state government,” she said.
“It’s hard to know exactly why these fires keep happening. But the management by the government and the EPA is not good.”
Ms Hartland said the fires continued to happen in lower socioeconomic communities and that if there are going to continue to be ongoing issues, they need to be addressed.
“I’d like to know when they [the EPA and state government officials] last visited these sites,” she said.
“Without transparent information being provided to the community, it continues to be challenging for residents. There’s not a lot of faith in them.”
Brimbank mayor Ranka Rasic said the council shares the community’s concerns.
“Brimbank council shares the community’s concern about industrial and tip fires in Melbourne’s west, including the recent fire at Cleanaway’s Brooklyn Resource Recovery Centre, as well as the ongoing Kealba Landfill hot spots and the need for better air quality monitoring at the landfill site,” Cr Rasic said.
“Brimbank residents deserve to be able to enjoy clean air in their homes, back yards and when out and about in the community.”
