Archaic view from Northern Sydney Waste Board

Thursday, 18 May 2000 10:00

The scheme by the Northern Sydney Waste Board to send its garbage to the bush to dump down a disused mine hole does not comply with the State Government's Waste Minimisation Act, which calls for a 60 percent reduction of rubbish going into landfill, environmentalists said today.

"It's embarrassing, unfair to country people and expensive" said the Director of Total Environment Centre and northern Sydney resident, Jeff Angel. "Northern Sydney residents don't want the extra traffic, pollution load and rate increases for rubbish to be moved to Woodlawn if the dump gets the green light".

"The landfill could also come back and bite us, as it is located in Sydney's drinking water catchment"

"Why move Sydney's waste to the country when opportunities exist for sustainable waste processing such as at the North Ryde Porters Creek transfer station i.e. improved green waste processing, concrete crushing and sustainable integrated waste facilities for the surrounding council areas," Mr Angel asked.

Brigid Dowsett President of the Ryde/Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society opposes Woodlawn. Ms Dowsett said "she would like to see Councils and Waste Boards work collaboratively to produce a sound environmental solution for North Sydney's waste problem"

Our choices are a 50 year megatip in the country or a diverse range of alternative technologies and practices which will create much more employment, better use of our waste resources and ecological sustainability.