Tara Murray
A report on the Kealba Landfill hotspot fires has found the fires have had a ‘high’ impact on the wellbeing of neighbouring residents.
An Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) report into the effects of the hotspots, which was requested by St Albans MP Natalie Natalie Suleyman in December, was released last week.
The report said the hotspots were likely to be a result of oxygen which had ingressed into the landfill due to the design of the cells within the former quarry, combusting with old, decomposed waste.
The report said the risk of impacts to human health from air emissions released by the hotspots has been found to be low, based on air quality monitoring.
While the risk of impacts to human health is considered low, the report said that impact to residents’ wellbeing was considered ‘high’.
It said that between November, 2019, and May, 2021, there had been 834 complaints made to the EPA about the odour and hotspots.
“The EPA is aware of a high impact from landfill odour to some residents who live close to the landfill, which has had a significant impact on local residents’ wellbeing,” the report said.
“Considering feedback from members of the community on the detriment the hotspots have had on their wellbeing, EPA considers the harm from the noncompliance to be ‘hgh’.
“This correlates with an escalated level of rigour in regulatory requirements and compliance assessment EPA has placed on the duty holder through the five remedial notices and regular EPA inspections to progress remediation.”
While the EPA recognises the impact on residents’ wellbeing, it said the likelihood of long-term physiological effects to result from odour exposure is very low due to the low level of concentrations of likely harmful compounds
“However, odour can cause short-term physiological effects and psychological impacts related to amenity and personal wellbeing,” the report said.
“The human nervous system has developed to alert humans to avoid certain unpleasant odours associated with potentially unsafe food or air and trigger similar reactions to the gag reflex, or psychological distress.
“Some individuals may experience symptoms even at low odour intensities.”
The report was finished before the EPA announced its intention to suspend Barro’s licence last month.
The report said that for the EPA to invoke its power to suspend or revoke a licence, there must be a sustained and significant non-compliance, a significant risk of harm, and the decision must withstand strong internal and external legal scrutiny, as any decision is subject to appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
History of the Kealba landfill: Page 12.
