Thursday, 18 April 2024

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) presented a petition bearing 1107 signatures:

The Petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that there is a proposal by Prospect Hill International to construct and operate a massive waste-to-energy plant in Lara, Geelong. The company is proposing to burn 400,000 tonnes of municipal, commercial and industrial waste annually for 25 years, equivalent to 10 million tonnes of waste. The construction is oversized and most feedstock would need to come from outside our region. The huge boiler room and 80-metre-high chimney that would need to be constructed would negatively impact the region’s amenity. Incinerators do not mitigate the need for landfill and are the most expensive way to treat waste. All waste incinerators emit deadly forever chemicals and toxic pollutants that travel long distances and bioaccumulate in the environment. The community fears the impacts on human health and the environment. Lara’s air pollution is already above safe World Health Organization levels. Seventeen schools or childcare centres are within 5km radius of the proposed construction site, and the Urban Growth Zone is 2.7km away. The community opposes the project. Of the 121 submission received by the Environment Protection Authority, 115 have already opposed the project.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to not impose an oversized, unsafe and unnecessary waste incinerator in the region and reject planning permit PA2001035 and development licenceAPP1004200.