ALTONA and Seaholme residents united last week in a show of force against a proposed toxic soil plant less than a kilometre from homes.
At a special planning committee meeting last Thursday, Hobsons Bay Council rejected plans to build a soil remediation facility at 551 Kororoit Creek Road in Altona.
The applicant, Innova, was not represented at the meeting.
Objector Melinda Corry told a council panel the proposed site was too close to homes, kinders, schools and sports clubs.
“Residential properties are as close as 950 metres from the site. Altona West kinder, Altona P-9 College and Mount St Joseph Catholic Girls’ College are within 1.5 kilometres,” she said.
“Innova is proposing to receive and treat 100,000 tonnes of contaminated soil a year, with the capacity to stockpile and store – outside, under tarpaulins – 12,000tonnes of soil.
“Northerly winds will easily disperse contaminants and dust within the air …”
Sheryl-Lea Lucas, representing PrixCar Services in Altona North, said there were health concerns for 130 employees, and concern for paint finishes on car stock worth $550million.
Altona Historical Society president Peter Weaver said Innova’s proposed plant posed an unacceptable risk to residents.
The third-generation Altona resident, whose great-grandfather’s land was taken over by Mobil, said a toxic soil facility, by definition, wouldn’t be safe.
Mr Weaver said his father, former Altona mayor and builder Harry Weaver, had worked with James Hardie products.
“That was [considered] safe, too. He died in 1986 of asbestos cancer”. Seaholme resident George Said told the council panel he already had “a monster” next door. “That monster is called Mobil, in case you don’t know. That monster had a twin brother called Carbon Black, and they polluted the whole of North Altona, including parts of Seaholme.”
Mr Said said residents were able to breathe easier after getting rid of Carbon Black. He applauded the “thousands of residents in Altona who are pleading with the authorities” to stop Innova turning the clock back.
“We are ordinary people who know when the air is foul.
“We know when our streets are jammed with trucks full of contaminated soil that will have spillages and all the other consequences of having a noxious process happening – in addition to all the others that we have already.”
Altona Primary School pupil, eight-year-old Ebony Hanson, was one of four children who also voiced their objections at the special council meeting.
“To have a poisonous soil plant next to my house and only three kilometres from my school is a really stupid thing.”
What would happen if there was a willy-willy or mini-tornado? Ebony asked the crowded council chamber.
“What happens to me and the people I love?
“… You are not going to destroy our families, our future and our dreams by putting something like this in Altona.
“Hopefully, your listening ears are turned on.”
