DEC odour report found smells from the site were still plaguing Willetton and Leeming.
MORE waste will enter landfill if the Regional Resource Recovery Centre is forced to close because of odour complaints, members of the South Metropolitan Regional Council say.
The waste facility has been given six months to fix odour problems or face closure by the Minister for Environment and Conservation, Bill Marmion, after a DEC odour report found smells from the site were still plaguing Willetton and Leeming.
Town of East Fremantle chief executive Stuart Wearne acknowledged the SMRC had encountered problems, but said the town was committed to reducing the amount of waste going into landfill.
“What the SMRC is doing is what all local governments should be looking at, which is trying to have a better way to deal with waste management,” he said.
“The town has environmental objectives we need to meet and this is one way of reaching the target.”
City of Melville chief executive Shayne Silcox said the city, as the biggest member council, would continue to support the SMRC and its work in reducing landfill. “If the SMRC was forced to close, the city would have to dispose of its waste in landfill sites,” he said.
The cities of Fremantle and Cockburn each said they also remained committed to the SMRC and the role it plays in reducing waste.
Town of Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said the town did not send waste to the RRRC, but would continue to deliver recyclable material to the site.
Support from the member councils indicates they will not follow the lead of the City of Canning, which pulled out of the SMRC last year following the ongoing odour issues.
SMRC chairman Tony Romano acknowledged the report showed smells from the site were still “annoying” for nearby residents, but said upgrades on the site had reduced odour problems.
“The regional council is committed to continue improving the performance of the RRRC, for the benefit of all residents of the southern metropolitan region,” he said.
Source: Melville Times
