“WE have had sleepless nights since we found out – this is a living nightmare and our concerns are not being taken seriously,” Compton resident Greg Childs told The Border Watch yesterday.
“We are worried about airborne particles more than anything else – if asbestos dust was exposed and we had a south-easterly wind, about 20 houses are right in the firing line.”
Mr Childs has lived opposite Sandy Ridge Landfill for 12 years and was among only a handful of nearby residents to receive a letter last week informing him the site could be approved to receive and dispose of asbestos.
Sandy Ridge was recently purchased by a demolition contractor from Warrnambool who has applied to vary the property’s environmental licence to allow for asbestos processing and burial.
“Non-friable asbestos – that’s sheet metal and other sharp materials – could be trucked here from western Victoria with plastic wrapping the only safety measure,” Mr Childs said.
“If the plastic breaks on the way here or when the asbestos products are at the site there is no method to contain asbestos dust.
“Legally the materials can sit there with only plastic wrapping to contain them as long as they are buried at the close of business – if there was a tear in the plastic we could be breathing in asbestos from 8am when it is delivered until 5pm when it’s buried.”
A letter received from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) South Australia offered Mr Childs a chance to make a written submission about the application.
“We received this letter last week and have less than 10 days to make a submission,” he said.
“The way this is being handled is almost a conspiracy – the EPA notified as few people as possible.”
Nick Sims, who also lives adjacent the Sandy Ridge site, echoed similar sentiments.
“Anyone who is not within 60m of the quarry or adjoining the property on the boundary line was not going to be notified,” Mr Sims said.
“As far as I’m aware only eight home owners received the letter – I have since been delivering letters to the neighbours myself to let them know.
“It’s not only the danger that’s frustrating, it’s the impact this will have on the value of our properties.”
Nearby home owner Matthew Salt said he was in “disbelief”.
“Every property around that quarry is rural/residential – mostly subdivided five-acre blocks,” Mr Salt said.
“It is unbelievable that there is no barrier to prevent someone bringing asbestos waste over the border and dumping it here.”
Mr Childs said he feared primarily for his children’s health.
“If this goes ahead they will just start trucking it in – no one knows when,” he said.
“Overnight we might be living opposite a toxic landfill site and the value of our homes will be depleted.
“The EPA guys are meant to be all about environmental protection, but it seems like they are all for environmental vandalism – they don’t care whatsoever.”
EPA director of regulation Peter Dolan said “three levels of control” would ensure the safe disposal of non-friable asbestos materials.
“We routinely visit landfill sites once a year and more depending on the volume of hazardous materials through the gate,” Mr Dolan told The Border Watch yesterday.
“The asbestos material will be plastic wrapped at the source, carefully placed in the cell and buried in 15cm of waste fill which is essentially dirty soil.
“The land holder will specify exactly where the asbestos will be buried – it will be in a designated area so it is not disturbed.”
Mr Dolan said landfill, including asbestos, was buried at a “buffer distance” of at least 500m from a residential property.
“All landfill must legally be buried no closer than 500m to a residential property – that’s the minimum but in this case it will likely be further,” he said.
“There will be no waste buried right on the boundary of the site.”
Mr Dolan estimated the fee to vary an environmental licence was “in the hundreds” – paid to the EPA.
The EPA will consider submissions and concerns raised when they assess the proposal, however if the licence is approved for variation there will be no formal feedback to nearby residents.
