Tarago residents are lobbying nearby councils to oppose plans for a $600 million waste to energy plant near the town and the technology generally.
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Tarago and District Progress Association Inc (TADPAI) has written to Queanbeyan Palerang and Upper Lachlan Shire Councils asking them to join Goulburn Mulwaree Council's opposition to the proposal.
In September, the latter voted to "totally oppose" Veolia Environmental Services' proposal for an 'Advanced Recovery Centre' at the Woodlawn eco-precinct. It would burn up to 380,000 tonnes of Sydney's feedstock, municipal residual, commercial and industrial waste annually and generate up to 39 megawatts of electricity.
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At the time, councillors argued the plant would harm environment and human, animal and biodiversity health, called on the state government to apply more stringent conditions to any assessment and wanted an independent review of the technology. They also opposed the technology's location in regional NSW and voted to write to neighbouring councils and the ACT government, seeking support for this position.
TADPAI president Adrian Ellson has also recently written to the councils. Both Queanbeyan Palerang and Upper Lachlan have contracts with Veolia for waste disposal at Woodlawn.
"Parts of your local government area, in particular in and around Woodlawn, are already subjected to odours from Woodlawn passive operations," he wrote.
"It is our contention that the active use of waste incineration will cause the odours to spread further, and along with these - dioxins, furans and other pollutants."
Mr Ellson stated it "was wrong" to suggest the technology could be used in less populated areas, due to the harm to fewer people.
"The fact remains that the value of individual life for those living in rural and remote areas when compared to someone living in Sydney, is legally and morally the same," he wrote.
Neither Upper Lachlan nor Queanbeyan Palerang have responded to The Post's questions at this stage.
Yass Valley voted last year to support Goulburn Mulwaree's stance. In September, the ACT government also backed the position, citing its 2020 policy which banned thermal treatment of waste for energy recovery.
Mr Ellson told The Post the imminent release of Veolia's EIS for the Woodlawn facility gave greater urgency.
"The Environment Protection Authority's own policy requires community agreement for waste to energy proposals," he said.
"TADPAI objects to it but we want to demonstrate that when the EIS comes out, councils here and in Sydney don't agree with it and there is no community support."
Mr Ellson has also written to several Sydney councils, seeking positions. One of these is Bayside, where Suez/Opal want to construct a $600 million waste to energy plant at the Matraville Paper mill. The council has opposed it, along with residents who mounted a strong campaign. The project was put in jeopardy by the state government's Energy from Waste Infrastructure Plan, released last September. This restricted the technology to four regional precincts.
'A retrograde step'
Queanbeyan Palerang will consider a position at its February 10 meeting. Mr Ellson said the council should care because odour from the Woodlawn bioreactor was already drifting to the Lake George area.
He maintained waste incineration ran counter to the notion of a circular economy and in a separate letter, challenged the EPA for considering the technology.
Instead, the TADPAI president argued that with greater recycling and reuse, the life of Veolia's bioreactor could be extended and was a more sustainable option given that it already generated electricity.
"The bioreactor is very close to world's best practice and we don't see the need to take this retrograde step (with waste to energy)," he said.
But Veolia CEO Richard Kirkman has backed the technology, used in 65 of the company's overseas plants
"I believe (it) is better than landfill from a health, safety and environmental perspective and it's a proven technology," he previously told The Post.
Mr Kirkman will present the proposal to Veolia Community Liaison Committee, of which Mr Ellson is a member, on February 17.
The Progress Association expects the EIS to be released in early February.
Goulburn Mulwaree Council general manager Warwick Bennett said it was due in December but state planners required further analysis.
Mr Kirkman will meet with councillors in Goulburn on Thursday. They will also tour the Veolia eco-precinct on February 18.
In November, the Country Mayors Association backed Goulburn Mulwaree's waste to energy opposition. It resolved to request that the state's Infrastructure Plan be amended to include metropolitan Sydney for the plants. Further, it wanted extensive consultation before it was implemented.
Mr Bennett said surrounding councils were "reluctant" to form positions until the EIS was released.
Goulburn Mulwaree's 'campaign' was also in a holding pattern, following a public awareness push before Christmas.
"Until there is a timeframe (on the EIS) and something more definite, we don't want to overplay our cards, but when it comes back into the public arena, we will be making people aware," Mr Bennett said.
The council wanted the EIS exhibited for 90 days. However Mr Ellson believes the statutory 28 days will apply.
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
