Decision toxic for Lyndhurst fight

By Shaun Inguanzo
A CAMPAIGN to stop toxic waste being dumped at the Lyndhurst tip has been dealt a critical blow after the State Government withdrew plans for a toxic waste site in rural Victoria this week.
Residents neighbouring the Lyndhurst tip have battled for 14 years to stop it receiving toxic wastes such as mercury, cadmium, alkaline and acids.
They toasted a minor victory last year when the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) declared that Shire of Cranbourne planning permits did not allow the tip, operated by SITA Environmental Solutions, to receive the wastes.
But SITA had already been receiving the waste for years, and was licensed to do so by the Environment Protection Agency.
SITA has appealed the declaration and in December went to VCAT, locked in a battle with the City of Greater Dandenong to have its permits amended to receive the wastes.
A decision is not expected until next month – but the State Government’s decision to withdraw plans for a new toxic waste site at Nowingi, near Mildura, is expected to add greater significance to Lyndhurst’s ability to receive toxic waste.
A Planning Panel report for the Nowingi site shows that the state’s tips taking toxic waste – Tullamarine and Lyndhurst – received more than 80,000 tonnes combined in 2005.
RATWISE spokeswoman Thelma Wakelam said the State Government and Greater Dandenong Council were responsible for ensuring Greater Dandenong residents, particularly those in Lyndhurst, were not sentenced to a lifetime with toxic waste.
Ms Wakelam said if VCAT agreed to amend SITA’s permit then Greater Dandenong Council should take the matter to the Supreme Court.
Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie released a short statement saying he hoped the backdown would not influence VCAT’s decision on SITA’s permit.