Did you know that the EPA is considering a proposal for a Waste to Energy plant in Laverton North? Please forward this petition onto your networks. 

Private company Recovered Energy Australia (REA) has proposed a Waste to Energy plant that has major implications for Melbourne's West as well as the whole state in terms of how waste is managed. Residents in the West have not been properly informed or consulted regarding the risks and concerns for health, air, land and water pollution. The plant proposes using gasification to process waste a form of incineration.

Waste to energy seems a simple solution for our waste crisis, but the risk with gasification is that this creates gasifier slag, ash residues and flue gas which is technically prescribed industrial waste (PIW).  These residues may have contaminates which are too toxic for regular landfill. Approval is being sought from the EPA, but should it be granted, and if so, on what terms?

There is currently a consultation process underway to identify any community concerns.  If you have any concerns you would like addressed, please make a submission https://thelaundryhamper.com.au/EPA-Submission.php and sign this petition please share this widely.

Action: We demand that the EPA, State MPs; Tim Pallas, Jill Hennessy, Cesar Melham and Marlene Kairouz plus local government inform their constituents, all residents and local business of this proposal via a letterbox drop and ask for further community consultation in the form of a 20B conference.

Particularly local residents of the west including; Hobsons Bay, Wyndham, Maribyrnong and Brimbank municipalities.

More detail: This project proposal is from Recovered Energy Australia (REA), a private company that has partnered with a Chinese company who has developed the technology. These facilities are typically worth in excess of $100 million dollars, it is big business. REA want this approved quickly, so they can compete for local government waste contracts.

Key questions & concerns from the REA proposal: 
·     How will emissions be affected if food waste is not efficiently diverted from the waste stream to be processed by participating municipalities?

Gasification works best when there is minimal food or organic waste being processed (Considering that the aim of REA is to get up to four councils in the West for the Laverton North plant). 

·         Will the implementation of a gasification plant undermine the waste hierarchy and waste reduction initiatives being considered by industry or government?

·         The residues from gasification are proposed to go to landfill, but the concern is that this is potentially hazardous or toxic waste. How will this be managed?

·         Considering that residual waste is notably unrecyclable plastics, why is this classified as renewable energy?

·         Will an independent environmental assessment be completed by the EPA for this project?

Please sign the petition to request a further community consultation, it's important our community gets a proper say and understanding of this project.