By Laura Michell
Broadmeadows residents fear there could be more sites in the area used to illegally store toxic chemicals, following the discovery of more than 1.2 million litres of chemical waste at eight sites in Campbellfield and Epping.
The stockpile was discovered by the Environment Protection Authority on December 28 following a joint agency investigation into a West Footscray industrial fire in August.
The sites are under the control of WorkSafe, which is in charge of the clean-up. The organisation said it will take a number of months to remove all of the chemicals. In a statement, WorkSafe said there were flammable liquids stored in an unsafe manner at the sites.
Broadmeadows Progress Association spokeswoman Sonja Rutherford said she was concerned about how long it would take to clean up the sites.
“We are not safe as residents until this is dealt with,” she said. “There are a lot of questions at this stage. I am absolutely concerned there are more sites like this around.”
Mrs Rutherford said residents wanted tougher regulations on chemical and waste storage, having endured a toxic blaze at the SKM recycling facility in Coolaroo in July 2017.
“All these promises of changes and checks and balances following the SKM fire that should be in place are clearly not in place,” she said.
“It has been a ridiculous situation.”
EPA acting chief executive Damian Wells said contingency planning had been put in place to ensure high levels of safety at the sites.
“EPA, Hume and Whittlesea councils and its regulatory partners, are in active engagement with local businesses to keep them informed,” he said.
