By Jessica Micallef
Hume council is seeking urgent clarification from the state government as to whether there are plans to dump contaminated soil in Bulla.
Hume mayor Carly Moore said there had been speculation that the state government has plans to dump soil laced with PFAS from the West Gate Tunnel project at a privately-owned Bulla landfill.
“Given there has been no conversation with Hume council, we seek immediate clarification from the Victorian government on whether they plan on dumping this toxic soil in Hume,” she said.
“This site in Bulla is in close proximity to the recently approved residential development by the Victorian government in Sunbury South and of great concern, this site backs onto Emu Creek .”
Cr Moore said the soil was likely to be laced with PFAS which is known to have lasting adverse health and environmental effects if not properly managed.
“Why the Victorian government would want to dump this waste in a growing residential area makes no sense,” she said.
“Any move to dump this waste in Hume will be met with strong opposition from council and undoubtedly the Hume community.
“Council requests the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne sets the record straight on the Victorian government’s plans for the disposal of this toxic waste and to consider the health, safety and the environmental implications of such a proposal.”
The council wrote to Mr Wynne on March 2, calling for clarity on its plans and is awaiting a response.
The state government is urgently trying to find a place to dump soil from the $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel, amid an impasse with Transurban and the road’s builders over how to manage the waste.
Builders John Holland and CPR Contractors are threatening to leave the project due to the deadlock, with tunnelling estimated to be about a year behind.
In Wyndham, the government is facing rising community backlash to plans to dump soil from the project at a $180 million rail yard.
The state-owned 82-hectare site, which backs onto the heritage-protected Werribee River, is just 70 metres from houses and abuts land for planned housing developments and four schools.
In neighbouring Bacchus Marsh, more than 400 people vented their frustrations at a town meeting recently over a bid by Maddingley Brown Coal to receive the contaminated soil.
