Eastern Creek incinerator: protest fires up over Cleanaway waste to energy facility
It promises to reduce landfill volumes across western Sydney by 95 percent, but action groups and a Sydney council are fired up over plans for the incinerator.
Blacktown
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ACTION groups have issued a series of scathing objections to plans for a $500 million waste to energy facility in Sydney’s West — promised as the best way to dramatically reduce waste volumes as time continues to run out for the city’s landfill tips.
The battle cry from community groups, which are well rehearsed in waging war against proposals for incinerators in Sydney’s west, saw Blacktown Mayor and state Labor MP Stephen Bali describe the facility as a “19th century solution for a 21st century problem”.
Cr Bali called for NSW Energy Minister, Matt Kean, to issue a moratorium on the development of any incinerator in “large population bases”, until new guidelines are imposed to monitor, regulate and review the environment and health impacts of waste to energy facilities.
However, Planet Ark chief executive, Paul Klymenko argues this waste to energy facility will be safe, reduce emissions and be “state-of-the-art”.
“I live in the Blue Mountains, but I would have no issues with this facility being in my backyard,” Mr Klymenko said. “I understand concerns and had a negative view of these facilities myself, until I undertook a study tour to investigate them further.
Mr Klymenko said the facility was not incineration, “but more of a combustion engine with a filtering system”.
“I considered these facilities are a self regulating robot to prevent anything from going wrong,” he said. “The emission standards in Europe are incredibly high, but this new plant by Cleanaway will exceed those standards.
“Cleanaway are proposing the use of state-of-the-art systems, which can be upgrade whenever required to meet the latest standards.”
Cleanaway chief executive, Vik Bansal, said the company’s aim was to “reduce the volume of waste going to landfill by at least 95 percent”, after revealing his plans for the project, earmarked to generate enough electricity to power 65,000 homes.
“Energy-from-waste plants have been operating since the 1950’s,” Mr Bansal said.
“Over time, these have been upgraded to ensure compliance with more stringent emissions requirements.”
There are currently more than 492 energy from waste facilities across Europe, with Mr Bansal revealing 150 trucks would visit the site at Wallgrove Rd, Eastern Creek, each day to deliver 500,000 tonnes of non-recyclable, red bin waste from homes and businesses each year — if the proposal was approved.
“Half of the energy created by the Centre is renewable,” he said. “Energy produced from plant-based materials, including paper, cardboard, wood, garden waste and food waste is renewable.
“Energy produced from plastic, synthetic textiles and other fossil-fuel derived materials is non-renewable.”
A spokeswoman for the No Incinerator for Western Sydney group hit out at the Cleanaway proposal, claiming it was “no different” from previous applications rejected in the past.
“NSW Planning, NSW EPA, NSW Health, local councils and the residents voiced their concerns against (previous) proposals,” she said. “Waste to energy technology is the dirtiest type of energy production in the world and for every 4 tonnes of rubbish burnt, one tonne of extremely toxic and dangerous fly ash must be buried and left for our future generations to deal with.
“Not to mention the added air pollution and carcinogens being pumped into our environment daily.”
The spokeswoman said incinerators are not the “way forward for our future”.
“Once again, Western Sydney is the dumping ground and although they say it is only for 500,000 tonnes, which is no less dangerous, this is just the beginning and the strategy they use to get their foot in the door and the proposal approved,” she said.
A NSW Planning, Industry and Environment spokeswoman said the State Government have met with Cleanaway to discuss the proposal for the energy recovery facility and will consult with Blacktown Council on issues raised.