Picture: Tobin Rowallan
The technology to remediate contaminated soils exists - it is already being used successfully around Tasmania with toxic legacies being turned into win-win situations.
On-site soil remediation of two highly contaminated Tasmanian sites has just successfully been completed with the full approval of the Environmental Protection Agency - the decommissioned Burnie pulp mill and the Wesley Vale pulp and paper mill.
“David O’Byrne’s comments today (Tues) fail to consider soil remediation. Tasmania does have options if the Copping C-cell doesn’t go ahead - better options with better outcomes,” said Angela Marsh, President of the Southern Beaches Conservation Society (SBCS).
“Remediating toxic waste is clearly a better solution to landfill where it can gradually leach into groundwater supplies and cause ongoing environment problems. Have Minister O’Byrne and Denison Labor candidate Jane Austin even heard of the National Waste Policy and the Tasmanian Waste & Resource Management Strategy?”
“If they paid any regard to the guiding principles within these documents they would be seeking to do everything in their power to avoid landfill developments and to champion such options as onsite remediation,” said Ms Marsh.
Southern Waste Solutions essentially want to create a great big hole in the ground then shop around desperately for anyone to fill it. They clearly have a very shaky business case.
On-site remediation is cheaper than a ‘dig–transport–dump’ option that will then require clean-fill to be transported back into the site.
“Tasmania already has the worst waste management practices in the country, with over-reliance on landfill. If the State government manage this correctly, we can have the Hobart Railyard redevelopment without dumping a toxic legacy onto the people who live in the Sorell municipality.”
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Absolute nonsense and a complete waste of money to bother to disturb “contaminants” and remediate, as the Railyards site will always remain to be operational.
By the end of Toll’s lease with Tas Ports next year, a huge wake up call for Southern Tasmania’s freight “network” will come to light.
The Transport hub at Brighton is an unsuitable location for major players as a MAJOR interchange road and rail freight.
The rail depot at Brighton will never see trains unless there is a very large Pulp Mill eventually built in the Tamar Valley to carry wood trucked from the Huon and Derwent forests, and that is now less likely.
The Hobart Railyards, storage and freight receiving and dispersal operations will remain and it will be business as usual.
Hugh shocks in store for the State Government misdirecting money to be further wasted on unnecessary projects “Labor’s Waterfront high flyer Docklands dream” that have little relevance for the future direction of this “failing” state!
Prior to March 2014 hopefully the future of the waterfront will become more obvious as mistakes become more obvious leaving the legacy of State Labor in tatters.
With smarter political animals in charge of running a decent government Tasmania deserves a better direction based on its agricultural potential and abilty to tap Asian markets without involvement of foreign ownership.
Seasonal tourism, life style and both a balanced enviromental and forestry activity could see Tasmania move ahead steadily without continued pestering by the Greens extremists who are giving the State a bad name on a global scale.
New laws to deal with troublesome dissenters will be required to allow them to be dealt with by the law, Green politics most suprisingly under Brown in particular has completely lost its cause for peace and equality!
Markets for Change under Brown and Putt is a travesty and has further weakened the State image.
Labor/ Green politics is not working in its current form, too much time has been exhausted by
Labor dealing with the Greens which is definitely not benefiting Tasmania at all.