By Christine de Kock
A LIMIT will be placed on how much green waste can be processed at Organic Recyclers’ Brooklyn plant.
The directive from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) came after complaints from residents that pungent odours were coming from the Brooklyn site.
The EPA’s west metropolitan regional manager Scott Maloney said the directive was given as the recycling industry “has not been able to keep pace with the incredible uptake of green waste recycling options by the community”.
He said the restriction would mean “Organic Recyclers will no longer be allowed to accept excessive amounts of green waste at the site”.
The EPA will decide what “excessive” entails in the coming weeks.
Yarraville resident Bruce Light, organiser of the protest group On the Nose, said it was not enough to limit Organic Recyclers’ intake of green waste.
“(Their) EPA licence allows for grease interceptor trap waste from industry, food processing effluent, office food and other organic wastes and animal manures to be received and stored in the open on the site,” he said.
He said the cap should refer to these materials as well.
Organic Recyclers operations manager Kevin Banner said he did not want to comment on the issue.
Maribyrnong City councillor Catherine Cumming is the director of the Western Region Waste Management Group, which represents the nine councils that use the services of Organic Recyclers.
She said the State Government should step in to assist Organic Recyclers in this matter by giving them the funds to establish a recycling location outside residential areas.
“Don’t fine them, help them find a bigger site,” she said.
“Organic Recyclers are the only recyclers in Melbourne. All the other organic recyclers in the eastern suburbs have gone bust. Organic Recyclers are obviously choking on their success.
“They have increased by 300 per cent – they are doing a good job.”
She said residents pushed to have the recycling system in place and as a result of such a high community demand for the service the State Government should respond by assisting Organic Recyclers with the current situation.
“We shouldn’t be complaining to Organic Recyclers, we should be complaining to the State Government.”
Mr Maloney said the EPA would continue to negotiate with Organic Recyclers to reduce the smell and work with local councils, the Western Region Waste Management Group and Sustainability Victoria on reducing the green waste being processed at the Brooklyn plant.
“We are mindful of the impact odour is having on the residents in the inner west and are working to establish both short and long-term solutions,” he said.
“Several options are being canvassed including diverting the green waste to temporary storage, processing green waste at other sites or taking the finished product off site for use.”
