The Mayors of Brimbank and Melton City Councils have written a joint letter to the Victorian Government to voice their concerns about reports spoil and contaminated materials from the Westgate Tunnel Project may end up in Ravenhall.
Brimbank Mayor, Cr Georgina Papafotiou said Brimbank and Melton Councils were seeking a commitment from the State Government and West Gate Tunnel Contractors to seek other locations, and alternative waste treatment options, away from Melbourne’s West.
‘Melton Mayor, Cr Lara Carli and I have written to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure to express our concerns on behalf of our communities about reports that the Melbourne Regional Landfill is being considered as a site for the spoil and contaminated materials from the Westgate Tunnel Project,’ Cr Papafotiou said.
The landfill is located within the boundaries of the City of Melton, with major road and transport access from metropolitan Melbourne via Brimbank.
The site closely borders with some of the state’s fastest-growing communities at Rockbank, Plumpton, Caroline Springs, Burnside, Albanvale, Deer Park, Brimbank Gardens and Truganina.
‘Brimbank and Melton Councils strongly opposed the expansion of the Metropolitan Regional Landfill, which was unfortunately approved in June 2019 following approval from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
‘We opposed this expansion because it discouraged environmentally sustainable solutions and opportunities to manage waste in the medium and longer-term, across the region.
‘The expansion of the Metropolitan Regional Landfill, combined with the potential for Westgate Tunnel spoil to be potentially transported there, would see a dramatic increase in waste vehicles travelling across Brimbank and Melton, impacting our cities and the wider west for years to come.
‘Communities in the west have already received an unfair burden of landfill and contaminated waste.
‘We’ve borne the brunt of past poor practices and will continue to deal with these legacy issues for years to come.
‘We would welcome a commitment from State Government and Westgate Tunnel Project contractors to consider other locations, and alternative waste treatment options, away from the West.
‘The Westgate Tunnel, combined with the Melbourne Airport Rail, Western Rail Plan and other transport projects, have the potential to transform Melbourne’s west in positive ways both economically, socially and environmentally.
‘We must ensure the construction of these new projects do not compromise the environment for local communities in the years to come,’ Cr Papafotiou said.
‘Current contamination issues for some properties abutting Sunshine Landfills is an example of how past waste disposal decisions can impact future residents and businesses.
‘The Metropolitan Regional Landfill’s strategic location, surrounded by some of Melbourne’s fastest-growing communities, has the potential to become a future economic generator for the region.
‘We have to continue to advocate for a sustainable and environmentally fair legacy for the people of the west,’ Cr Papafotiou said.
