WESTERN suburbs Greens MP Colleen Hartland will today use Parliament to condemn Innova’s plans for a toxic soil treatment plant at Altona.
‘‘There is absolutely no need for it now the major companies offer in-situ treatment for toxic soil using mobile equipment,’’ she said.
‘‘They go to the site to treat the soil and it can be reused without leaving the premises.
‘‘Innova promotes on-site treatment on its website, saying it is cost-effective and safe, so I don’t know why they suddenly need to truck toxic soil from all over Melbourne to Altona.’’
Ms Hartland is expected to state her position opposing the plant during a parliamentary debate about a similar proposal at Lyndhurst in Melbourne’s east.
The Greens are moving a disallowance motion to block the Lyndhurst site from being rezoned by Planning Minister Matthew Guy against the local council’s wishes.
Innova’s plan to establish a soil remediation facility at the Dow Chemical site in Kororoit Creek Road has been refused by Hobsons Bay Council.
The Mobil Altona Refinery has said it would be interested in sending its soil to the Dow site for processing.
Speaking at Thursday’s special planning committee meeting in Altona, objector Timothy Doyle said Mobil still had not cleaned up contaminated soil from a 2006 pipe leak under Newport. He said contaminated placarded loads would not be allowed through road tunnels.
‘‘Another reason why they want this facility here is because the other [similar] facilities are on the other side of the city and that would mean taking contaminated soil in trucks. They couldn’t go through the tunnels because they’re contaminated, placarded loads [‘dangerous load’ warning sign on trucks]. There is another agenda.
‘‘Most of the hydrocarbon-contaminated soils in this area will be at Champion Road, Newport, from the Mobil leak from the pipeline that occurred some years ago. Now, that soil has not been remediated. I think there is an agenda operating here that we are not being told about. Again, that is why the applicants are not here.
‘‘It’s folly. It shouldn’t happen. And I think the city will be up in arms if it goes any further. It’s not on.’’
Mobil spokesman Alan Bailey said that contaminated soil from the Champion Road leak had already been remediated. But Mr Bailey said that if the Innova site got going, Mobil would obviously consider sending soil there. “From time to time we have a need to deal with contaminated soil from various operations. But, certainly, there’s no hidden agenda.”
