THE state government is facing pressure to launch an investigation into the granting of a 2008 permit for construction of the controversial Werribee landfill site.
In a letter to Environment Minister Ryan Smith, Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland said she believed authorities “failed to protect the environment” when granting initial works approval for the Wests Road refuse disposal facility.
It’s the latest development in an escalating community backlash against the council’s push to expand the 26-metre above-ground landfill mound at the site to 45 metres.
The council has confirmed it is preparing an application to the Environment Protection Authority for the expansion.
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Ms Hartland 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.
“A residential estate is to be built on the south side of the Princes Freeway and another one also in close proximity to the landfill,’’ she said. ‘‘There is no doubt that residential development will build up further around the rubbish mountain site.”
Ms Hartland said she wanted the government to investigate the original works approval because it was in “direct conflict” with the EPA’s own guidelines, specifically a clause that “mound landfills are to be avoided” due to visual impact and leakage that can seep from the sides.
But EPA spokeswoman Lauren Nowak said the works approval had been “assessed and subsequently approved against the applicable guidelines for a site of this nature”.
She said guidelines on avoiding “mound landfills” didn’t apply because the Wests Road landfill was not built on flat ground.
“This site, although having a component above the ground, is built within an active quarry site that is 20-30 metres deep and is thus not a mound landfill.”
