The Southern Beaches Conservation Society (SBCS) is concerned that residents affected by the Forcett bushfire will be taken advantage of by a company wanting to build a contaminated waste facility in its midst.
“Following this recent devastation, the last thing we locals need is to spend our energy trying to prevent the contaminated waste cell,” said SBCS President Angela Marsh. “This is clearly a fire-prone area next to a major river and water catchment. It is the wrong location. We do not deserve to become Tasmania’s landfill, so give us a break and let us get on with rebuilding our devastated communities.”
“This fire has roared along a thickly forested area from Forcett all the way to Eaglehawk neck - allowing a contaminated waste cell to be placed in the midst of this forest is irresponsible. The fire has gone right over the top of the existing waste facility and the proposed C Cell site. In the midst of the fire storm the site was evacuated leaving it undefended with no one to run the generator and pumps needed to manage the leachate and it remained unattended for a considerable period after the fire due to access restrictions.”
A resident with a fire-devastated property near the Copping waste site said, “The heat of the bushfire was so intense it melted glass windows. There is nothing left except rubble, molten glass and molten aluminium.”
Ms Marsh stated that “If the proposed C Cell had been in place, the cover, plastic and clay liners would likely have been damaged by the intense heat. The effects of leachate from contaminated waste on the surrounding catchment and waterways would have been catastrophic. If contents of the landfill had ignited, winds would have blown toxic fumes over everyone in a large radius dictated only by prevailing wind direction.”
“The existing and proposed SWS’ landfill sites are not part of our communities’ vision for a bright and viable future. Their plans to operate this site for up to 200 years is not the future
we hope our children will have. Commonwealth Regional Development funding must be reassessed in light of this tragedy because we have many more important and deserving needs.”
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Comments (6)
I see a couple of problems with this line of argument.
1. Where does SBCS want to send the asbestos from Copping and Dunalley, presently we export it to QLD.
Seems only fair they don’t expect others to have to deal with their legacy waste.
Given there is now a significant amount of waste in the greater Copping area requiring appropriate storage a C-Cell in the immediate area is all the more important.
2. Given this from all accounts seems to be a once in a generation, or more, fire isn’t that area now relatively low fire risk as there’s nothing left to burn?
Do we really need these people making decisions for us?
Most adults can make their own decisions surely? (If not then why do we want a democracy?) A bit of work with Google and other folks and we are entirely capable of making decisions for ourselves.
Why do we need/want a bunch of politicians and bureaucrats, who won’t be affected by the decision (note #1) deciding that we, and the various ecosystems and people downstream (to Dunalley and surrounds) should be exposed to health risks without seeing any benefit?
Anyone?
Recall that glib put-down line from Southern Waste Solutions, Ms Christine Bell a few short months who stated - on ABC TV News - that the C-cell liners at Copping would last 10,000 years!
This is precisely this snake-oil salesmanship that exposes a lack of credibility and authenticity.
So where *should* we put this waste?
There’s asbestos in every second building in central Hobart (for example) and at some point it’s got to go somewhere. What’s the solution? Pile it up on the city streets and hope nobody notices?
If this site isn’t suitable for a dump then we need to find one that is. Any suggestions?
Just burying asbestos is OK because thats where it came from. Why not bury it in the Asbestos Range where they once mined it? This asbestos scare is part of Laras fluro vest vaudeville show.
#5 If you’ve been into Hobart (or Launceston, Burnie, Devonport etc) today then you’ve almost certainly walked straight past asbestos.
At some point, it’s going to be put somewhere other than where it is now. Given that both the GCC and HCC landfills have a limited lifespan, Copping is the default option *whether or not this C Cell is built*.
Build the C Cell = asbestos is dumped at Copping.
No C Cell = asbestos will still, in practice, have to be dumped at Copping unless someone opens another landfill.
Historically it’s been put at the HCC and GCC tips.