Wollert residents rally together to stop Cleanaway from establishing waste-to-energy incinerator on 510 Summerhill Rd

A community in Melbourne’s outer northeast is fighting to stop a “toxic” waste-to-energy incinerator from being built near homes, schools and playgrounds.

An artist’s impression drawing of the proposed facility in Wollert, which will process more than 3800 tonnes of waste annually near homes. Picture: supplied.

A community in Melbourne’s outer northeast is furiously banding together to stop a proposal that would see more than 380,000 tonnes of rubbish from being burnt in a new incinerator in their neighbourhood.

Residents living in and around Wollert are “uniting against” a proposal by Cleanaway Waste Management Limited to establish a waste-to-energy incinerator on 510 Summerhill Rd, Wollert, located just minutes away from housing developments and several primary schools.

The proposed facility is also close to the Merri Creek and will thermally process household, commercial, and industrial waste that cannot otherwise be recycled.

A map depicting the areas that will be affected by the waste-to-energy incinerator. Picture: supplied.

Residents are concerned the facility is too close to people and will expose community members to dangerous toxic air pollutants, odours, and noise pollution.

Wollert resident Julie Ahmad said the community was not only “outraged” about the facility’s proximity to homes but also “disgusted” by the lack of proper communication.

“Wollert is a low to medium socio-economic region … a fringe location home to a significant population from migrant communities, many of who are new to Australia or face language barriers,” she said.

“The local community has little to no understanding of what’s being installed in their backyards and the potential detrimental health impacts to their families.”

Wollert and neighbouring suburb residents rallying to stop Cleanaway from establishing a waste-to-energy incinerator just kilometres away from schools, residential estates and old age homes that they say will fill their air with toxins. Picture: supplied.

Ms Ahmad said the information needed to be conveyed clearly.

“They wouldn’t build a facility like this on Toorak, Camberwell, or Kew. They deliberately decided that it would be a fringe suburb where people will not object to it, and they don’t know what’s in the backyard,” she said.

The facility will be located close to residential areas, schools, daycare centers, and playgrounds. There are 59 schools within a 10 km radius of this site.. Picture: supplied.

The Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) received more than 760 submissions against the proposed facility.

If approved, the proposed facility will be situated 2km from a previously proposed waste incinerator in Craigieburn which Hume City Council turned down.

An online petition urging the EPA to disapprove permits for the incinerator in Wollert has attracted more than 2300 signatures of the 2500 target.

Ms Ahmad, who organised the petition, said she wanted to raise awareness about the proposal.

“If it goes ahead, people are going to want to leave the suburb and Wollert won’t be the lovely community it is now,” she said.

A community in Melbourne's outer gather to protest the proposed incinerator. Picture: supplied.

Another local, Max Sargent, said authorities hadn’t been “effective, competent, or diligent” in communicating with the community in Wollert, which was made up of many migrants.

“They’ve had everything in English … they’ve had in one public community information session … which didn’t have translators … they haven’t communicated in community languages,” he said.

“The licensing authority is supposed to take into account community needs and views.”

Independent Candidate for the Kirrip Ward Aidan McLindon said the incinerator was a “class action in waiting”.

“I am fundamentally opposed to this toxic spreading incinerator proposed on our residential doorstep; there is no option but to scrap this half baked proposal,” he said.

“This area is designated for families and small businesses. The ongoing increase in heavy vehicle traffic, adverse air quality, pollutants, and home prices being devalued means this proposal is completely botched from the outset.

“I’m calling on the State Government and the Environment Protection Authority to stop entertaining such a ridiculous proposition that will only end up in a class action.”

An EPA spokesman said the authority was assessing a development licence application from Cleanaway Operations Pty Ltd, which proposes to develop a waste-to-energy (WtE) facility to be known as the Melbourne Energy and Resource Centre.

“The application is still in the assessment phase,” he said.

A Cleanaway spokesman said the company conducted “extensive community engagement”, including in-person and online information sessions.

“A stakeholder reference group made up of local community members has been established to provide a direct link between the project and the community. It is the job of the proponent to take the local community on the journey, educate them, meaningfully engage and listen to, and address their concerns … (and) to be transparent in the community where you need the social licence to operate,” he said.

“Waste-to-energy presents a lot of social and economic opportunities for local communities, including jobs during construction and ongoing jobs including expert roles.”

Cleanaway requires two key approvals, a planning permit application and a development licence application.

Final documentation for both applications was lodged in December 2023.