Greater Geelong councillors have provided the following comments in response to the update issued by the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) on 8 August 2019 regarding the waste stockpile at Broderick Road, Lara.
The EPA update is available here.
Mayor Bruce Harwood:
We welcome news from the EPA that they hope to begin removing material from the site in the next few weeks.Although this will be a long and difficult process, there is now some assurance for the community that work is being done and a full clean-up will eventually be achieved.
In the meantime, the City of Greater Geelong will continue to place community safety as its highest priority by continuing measures to guard against fire, including 24/7 security, onsite firefighting equipment and secure perimeter fencing.
Councillor Kylie Grzybek, Windermere Ward:
This issue has justifiably caused the communities in Lara and our northern suburbs a lot of concern, and they'll be relieved to see waste starting to be removed.We acknowledge the EPA's statement that the clean-up must be very carefully planned and carried out to ensure the safety of the community and those working at the site. At the same time, we look forward to seeing the stockpile fully cleared in the shortest timeframe possible.
It's also pleasing to see the EPA planning a community information forum during September. I encourage residents to keep an eye out for details of this event.
Councillor Anthony Aitken, Windermere Ward:
We welcome the EPA announcement today.It addresses the confusion in the community about who is cleaning the site up by making it clear that the EPA is the responsible authority and leading the operation and not the council.
A commitment of three years is the first time we have received a timeframe and I am pleased that this appears reasonable and achievable. The community probably wishes for a quicker turnaround but the EPA has now thoroughly investigated the task and this is their best estimate.
It's a shame the person responsible for this is not in jail but today's announcement is another positive step towards cleaning up the site and meeting the community expectation about the environment they live and work in.
