Tara Murray
Hume council will investigate whether it can manage the location of future proposed recycling facilities after another factory fire reignited residents concerns.
An explosion and fire at a battery recycling facility in Campbellfield on August 9 sent smoke billowing across the municipality.
At the most recent council meeting, several residents questioned what the council could do to stop future fires.
Councillor Jana Taylor, who was among many residents woken by the latest fire, said the council needed to do what it could to support the concerns of residents.
She said while the state and federal governments had jurisdiction over what businesses could use their land for, the council would continue to advocate for its residents.
“In the spirit of further acknowledging some of the questions asked in public question time…
“I seek that council officers prepare a report for a future Strategy and Policy meeting on what approach and actions council could explore in order to manage the location of future proposed recycling facilities .
Cr Taylor also asked details on what planning mechanisms the council develop, such as bugger areas and permit requirements, to regulate where any future recycling facilities could be built.
“The report I’m seeking to prepare supports the council’s advocacy to change the way the waste industry operates in the best interest of the community.”
It’s the second factory fire in Campbellfield in the past two years, in April, 2019 fire tore through the Bradbury Industrial Service factory.
In 2017, a blaze at the SKM plant in Coolaroo burned for more than two weeks.
Cr Taylor said while it was only a small number of factory fires and it wasn’t the norm, it doesn’t make it any less concerning.
Councillor Geoff Porter said in an ideal scenario, there would be buffer zones around all recycling factories.
“It’s one of those highly topical matters that I think will rear its head on a regular basis.
“No doubt the way that waste is collected and treated will have to go through a major overhaul
at some stage.
“We are doing a lot of work in the waste management and collection to try and get it right
“Unfortunately we’re victims of poor planning in many ways. We’ve had issues and our community has bore the brunt.”
Cr Porter said more education was also needed for residents to be aware of what they were putting into rubbish and recycling.
In March, the state government tabled its response to the Victorian Parliament’s inquiry into recycling and waste management, agreeing to 45 of the 46 recommendations in either part or full.
