By Cade Lucas
A petition has been launched calling on the state government to install filters on ventilation stacks for the new West Gate Tunnel to protect the inner-west from increased air pollution.
Established by the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group (MTAG), the petition demands state Environment Minister Dimopoulos consider evidence from health and pollution experts on why the vent stacks should be filtered.
The petition is part of an intensifying campaign from community and environment groups to have pollution filters installed due to fears that vehicle emissions from the tunnel could damage the health of nearby residents.
Late last month, lawyers from the Environmental Justice Australia working with MTAG and Better West Inc, launched a legal challenge to have the Environmental Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) consider retrofitting pollution filters on the ventilation stacks which are currently under construction.
The legal challenge demands the Mr Dimopoulos direct the EPA to hold a ‘conference of interested persons’ to hear new evidence on why the vent stacks must be filtered before it issues an operating license for the tunnel to toll road company, Transurban.
In 2017, a government inquiry into the potential impact of the tunnel on air quality recommended pollution filters be installed.
However, then Planning Minister Richard Wynne decided the vent stacks should be built so filtration devices could be added at a later date, if required.
MTAG president Martin Wurt said seven years on, air quality in the inner-west had deteriorated to the point where filtration was now required.
“The government promises to retrofit filtration in the future ‘if it’s needed’ but our community has some of the highest hospital admission rates for air pollution-related illnesses in Victoria. Filtration is needed now,” Mr Wurt said.
Last year, Maribyrnong council declared a health emergency because of the impacts of truck-related diesel exhaust pollution and the municipality is known to have high rates of asthma, lung cancer, stroke and heart disease.
Better West Inc secretary Rowena Joske said air pollution was just as bad in Hobsons Bay, and without filtration would only get worse.
“Prevailing northern winds will blow much of the pollution from the southern vent stack onto residents in this area,” Ms Joske said.
“We are already suffering from awful air pollution here. That the state government doesn’t value us enough to filter the toxic diesel fumes from the vent stack is infuriating.”
A state government spokesperson said the West Gate Tunnel would improve air quality in the inner-west by removing thousands of trucks a day from local roads and away from homes.
“The new tunnels will use effective and proven ventilation technology and are being built to strict environmental standards,” said the spokesperson, who added that pollution filters were not a viable solution.
“Filtration technology is in its infancy, remains incredibly carbon intensive and is not international standard.”
Ms Joske remained unconvinced.
“We are worth doing everything possible to protect our health and filters should be fitted to the vents,” she said.
“People living in the inner-west deserve better.”
The petition can be viewed at: chng.it/QZQKXgMcDJ
