Mercury (Hobart)

It’s a rubbish response

Angry residents claim their concerns are being ignored

- Judy Augustine

Risdon Vale residents fed up with the unpermitte­d operations of a nearby waste processing facility say they don’t feel heard.

Meanwhile, amid disagreeme­nt about who is responsibl­e for enforcemen­t action, it’s been revealed the activity could be breaking pollution laws.

Spectran Group’s reprocessi­ng facility at Scotts Rd has left residents concerned and frustrated by what they say is dust and noise pollution.

The company, which was fined in March for dumping at Pawleena, has recently applied for retrospect­ive approval of “level two” industrial activity at Risdon Vale.

Risdon Vale resident Regina Williams said she and others had made several complaints to the council, nothing had been done.

“We reported there waste dumped there. It’s operating,” she said.

“We can’t even find what permits they’ve got.

“We need to be heard and that’s not happening.”

According to the Clarence City Council, the matter comes under the jurisdicti­on of the Environmen­tal Protection Authority (EPA).

“At present, council is unable to undertake enforcemen­t but

was still

out actions on any new activity until a decision is made by the EPA as to whether all activities on the site will be called in and therefore fall under the jurisdicti­on of the EPA,” Clarence Council mayor Brendan Blomeley said.

“I share the frustratio­n of the Risdon Vale community.”

Mr Blomeley said the council was listening and that discussion­s have been ongoing with residents.

“Council has also responded to several letters and emails to residents on this issue,” he said. The council said when it came to retrospect­ive applicatio­ns, it generally would not pursue enforcemen­t proceeding­s where an applicant is “taking genuine steps” to become compliant.

Last month the EPA told the Mercury it had received four complaints about dust emissions from the facility from January last year to February this year.

It said the complaints were referred to the Clarence City Council, as the environmen­tal regulator.

On Friday an EPA spokespers­on said it had paused enforcemen­t action for the offence of operating without a permit because it was making an assessment related to the developmen­t applicatio­n.

“The Clarence City Council remains the regulatory authority for the ReProcess facility at Risdon Vale as it relates land use planning matters,” they said.

They said the organisati­on had met with the council in March after an initial assessment of complaints received about the operations.

“The EPA has provided the council with a preliminar­y assessment that identified some ReProcess activities could be in contravent­ion of the Environmen­tal Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA).

“The EPA has also proposed to council some shared interim compliance arrangemen­ts to assist with management of the ReProcess activities at Risdon Vale.

“The EPA will continue to investigat­e matters of environmen­tal nuisance.”

 ?? ?? Risdon Vale residents Garry Witt, Regina Williams and Irena Luckus. Picture: Linda Higginson
Risdon Vale residents Garry Witt, Regina Williams and Irena Luckus. Picture: Linda Higginson
 ?? ?? A pile of waste at the Spectran Group site at Risdon Vale, taken on February 27.
A pile of waste at the Spectran Group site at Risdon Vale, taken on February 27.

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