REFUSE REFUSAL

CHINA’S refusal to continue receiving Australia’s and other nations’ recyclable waste for processing has loomed large in recent media reports.

Ipswich Council, it is reported, is changing to use of land fill for what will now be considered “general waste” disposal, attracting a possible Ipswich Council rate increase.

Before the Second World War (1939-1945), most of Toowoomba’s refuse was disposed of in land fill; the main tip being located on Gowrie Creek off Bridge St, in an abandoned quarry.

That tip was later back-filled and became a sports ground. Subsequently other sites were used to receive Toowoomba’s rubbish; including Kearneys Spring Park on West Creek.

Before the 1950s, plastic containers were a rare novelty and reuse rather than recycling, applied to many household containers.

Glass bottles (milk, beer, wine even medicine bottles) were washed and reused in the household or by suppliers. Paper products were used as fire starters in wood burning stoves and metal containers were refilled or pressed into various secondary domestic uses.

In 1938 Toowoomba adopted incineration as a means of garbage disposal and a brick incinerator, designed by Walter Burley Griffin, was built off Mort St (the TSRC/CBD artery now under reconstruction), about half way between North and Hogg Sts; in 1974 the site was upgraded by installation of a concrete “high-tech” unit costing $720,000. Its residue and ash were used as land-fill on Captain Cook Reserve playing fields.

By 1980 those incinerators were costing more per year to dispose of only 20% of the city’s refuse than the 80% still committed to land fill.

Deemed to be too costly the incinerators were decommissioned in 1983 and a demolition order issued in 1984.

The demolition order was not carried out immediately and renowned artist Rex Backhaus-Smith leased the incinerator for use as a studio (19851990); but was refused outright purchase by the authorities and the area declared a “noxious industry” site.

The original brick chimney was considered for listing by the National Trust.

Unfortunately it was in such a state of disrepair as to be a hazard to Mort St traffic and Toowoomba Council ordered its demolition.

It was demolished in 1994, followed by the remaining units in 1995; all that remains are the incinerators foundations, now almost hidden by vegetation.

JOHN LARKIN, Toowoomba