CABONNE COUNCIL DUMPS ON ORANGE

Wednesday, 25 November 2009 08:37

“Cabonne wants to keep dumping for another 35 years instead of recycling. It is keeping the entire area in the environmental dark ages,” said Jeff Angel, Director of Total Environment Centre.The Orange recycling project, years in the making, is tipped to lift recycling rates from its current 20% up to 60%.

“It is ludicrous that Cabonne has pulled out of this opportunity to vastly improve what is currently a very disappointing recycling rate – the new facility is even in its own backyard,” Mr Angel said.

“The decision is also a financial disaster - it will cost Cabonne ratepayers $1 million to withdraw from the joint project, yet the benefits include up to $45 savings per household per year compared to the cost of current waste management.”

Council is also ignoring the increased costs of landfill that will come with the introduction of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) next year and the positive boost to the local economy and in particular green jobs that the Orange project will bring.

“This polluting and economically irresponsible course of action adopted by the Cabonne councillors doesn’t stack up on any grounds. There should be a full public debate so the community knows what their elected officials stand for.”

Cabonne instead aims to review capacity across its six existing landfills and expects to get another 35 years of dumping into these sites with no commitments to improve recycling.

“This strategy is out of line with the NSW targets for recycling. We call on the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) and its minister to step in to ensure a more environmentally sustainable outcome for the region.”