RESIDENTS fear Werribee could regain its stigma as being the “waste capital” of Melbourne if Wyndham Council proceeds with plans for a 45-metre high mountain of trash.
The council is seeking approval from the Environment Protection Authority to expand an above-ground waste mound on top of landfill at its disposal centre in Wests Road. The mound recently reached a height of 26 metres.
At a meeting with EPA Victoria last year, the council obtained in-principle approval to expand it to about 45 metres above ground. An application is expected to be lodged shortly.
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EPA spokeswoman Tanya O’Shea confirmed that the council was drafting an application to heighten the mound.
According to the council’s master plan, the mound could eventually reach more than 100 metres.
Backlash from environment groups and residents began late last year, when neighbours started noticing odours wafting from the mound during spells of warm weather.
Browns Road resident Connie Menegazzo, who lives on a 145-hectare property, said the mound had been growing in the past six months and had become an eyesore.
“I just can’t believe they haven’t taken into account the stigma it’s going to reinforce.
“For so many years we fought Melbourne Water about odour issues [at the Western Treatment Plant]. Wyndham has been trying to remove that image, and it has, but now there’s another problem in such a visible place people will be driving by.”
Ms Menegazzo said the proposed height of the mound would tower over trees and obscure views of the You Yangs.
Western Region Environment Group director Harry van Moorst said the landfill had become a “land overflow”.
“There’s a lot more waste and it’s quite high up, posing a risk of leakage and contamination to groundwater and local waterways that’s just not worth taking.”
Mr van Moorst said it was ironic that the mound was on the site that was slated for CSR’s proposed toxic dump which residents and council successfully rallied against in 1998.
“Council fought so hard to stop [former premier] Jeff Kennett building a toxic dump on that same site, and now they’re totally in opposition, trying to build a toxic mountain.”
Council chief executive Kerry Thompson said the plans had been advertised and neighbours had been invited to a public information session last December.
Odour levels were monitored by an EPA auditor and disposal facility staff.
The Wests Road centre, which is used by six other municipalities from Whitehorse to Geelong, funds a large slice of the council’s capital works budget.
