Woodlawn tip - more jobs will be lost

Thursday, 10 February 2000 10:00

 "Both government and environment groups have been visited by industry representatives presenting viable and financially backed alternative technologies and practices to landfilling. To tell industry to 'go away' by supporting this short sighted inquiry report is not a signal the Carr Government can environmentally or economically afford," said Jeff Angel, Director of Total Environment Centre.

"The megatip would also contribute dangerous toxins and contaminants to our water supply as Woodlawn is situated on the edge of Sydney's' water catchment."

"After repeated failures to present reports that embrace modern environmental thinking, the Office of Commission of Inquiry does not have a credible environmental reputation. It certainly did not have adequate information or do sufficient investigation into alternatives to megatips," he said.

"The Government should wait until the inquiry into alternative practices and technologies to landfills commissioned by the Minister for Environment, reports. If it doesn't wait, then it will be saying its method of meeting the statutory target of reducing waste to landfill by 60% is to create another hole in the ground!"

"While we have the greatest sympathy for the mine workers whose entitlements were vapourised when the Woodlawn mine closed, revenue from the tip is not a sufficient reason to ignore the many jobs waiting to be created by the non-landfill industry and to adopt the environmentally irresponsible approach of Sydney dumping its rubbish on country NSW," Mr Angel said.