PLANS for a 45-metre landfill mound at Werribee have raised eyebrows in State Parliament, with one MP launching fierce criticism of Wyndham council.
In a letter to Wyndham councillors and management, Western Metro- politan Greens MP Colleen Hartland slammed their decision to expand the “rubbish mountain” at the Wests Road tip site, which is already 26 metres above ground.
The council is applying to the Environment Protection Authority for permission to enlarge its landfill mound to 45 metres.
Ms Hartland told the council she would investigate “avenues of intervention” from the state government level.
She said increasing the above-ground height of the mound raised risks of bad odour, dust, leakage and contaminants that could end up in surface and ground water.
“Clean water is a precious resource for the environment, for local communities and for farms,” she said. “There will be increased risk of contaminating Cherry Tree Creek, which is connected to the Ramsar wetlands within the Western Treatment Plant.”
SEE: Call to stop Werribee’s 45-metre mountain of trash
SEE: Ex-councillor Julian Menegazzo hits out
Ms Hartland said the enlarged mound would detract from the visual beauty of the area and obscure views of the You Yangs.
The call for council to scrap the plans has found supporters online, with a petition attracting almost 120 signatures. The petition urges council to keep the West Road landfill and all future landfills at ground level, adding that risks of going high above ground include bad odours, leaks and structural failures.
“You have an opportunity to set a worthwhile precedent by deciding to keep landfills below or at ground level, instead of leaving a legacy of waste and environmental vandalism as a very visible monument to your term as a councillor,” the petition states.
Council chief executive Kerry Thompson said Melbourne, Hobsons Bay, Yarra, Port Phillip, Whitehorse and Greater Geelong councils used the tip. The council reaped nearly $29.3 million in tip fees in 2011-12.
Council was taking “every possible measure” to minimise odour levels, Ms Thompson said, including providing 300 millimetres of compacted-earth cover to the mound each day.
“When a cell is filled to the design level, it undergoes a comprehensive rehabilitation process which often includes extensive landscaping works to improve local amenity,” she said.
