By Belinda Nolan
HOBSONS Bay residents, outraged over plans to build what they have dubbed a toxic dump in Altona, have vowed to fight the proposal and will call a public meeting to address their concerns.
NSW-based company Innova Soil Technology last month announced plans to build a new treatment facility to recycle contaminated soil at the Dow Chemical site in Kororoit Creek Rd.
The company met with the council, EPA and community groups to unveil the proposal, which would transform the site into a recycling plant treating contaminated waste from across Victoria’s West.
Although the company has claimed the revolutionary technology will be safe and will help to clean up contaminated sites across the West, residents fear the pollution could make its way into local streets and homes.
Geoff Mitchelmore from the Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek group said the proposal was alarming.
“The site where they are suggesting to put this in is bounded by residential areas on all sides, “Mr Mitchelmore said.
“This is going to have a major impact on the residents of Hobsons Bay.
“We don’t want a toxic waste dump in our municipality and we’re going to fight this to the bitter end.”
But the company’s operations manager, Dr Nick Ebrill, said the technology was environmentally friendly and would have no impact on surrounding properties.
“There will be no offsite impacts,” Dr Ebrill told Star.
Dr Ebrill said the polluted soil would be transported to the site in covered trucks and unloaded in an air-locked building with dust and odour filters.
He said trucks would only have to travel a small distance to the site and would not pass through residential areas.
“Within Hobsons Bay trucks will only travel 1.2 kilometres to the Dow site.
“Any trucks coming from outside the council area will be only travelling a kilometre from the Princes Highway,” Dr Ebril said.
