A BITTER stoush continues to bubble over a $20 million rubbish dump plan for Ardlethan that producers say threatens biosecurity, and the marketability of the region’s produce.
But Yithan landfill proponents said they were victims of a smear campaign and claimed a “silent majority” in the Coolamon Shire backed the dump’s development Ardlethan Environmental Solutions, a subsidiary of Ardlethan Tin Mines, wants to convert the old Yithan mine site five kilometres west of the town into a landfill that would take up to 400,000 tonnes of Sydney’s putrescibles waste each year.
Directors say the mine would create 30 jobs and pay hosting fees to Coolamon Shire Council.
But local producers and landowners from surrounding shires are against the project.
They fear leachate leaks into Mirrool Creek, pest animals, foul odours and depressed property prices.
GrainCorp is also sceptical of the project and said it was working with the state government to ensure it would not impact its Ardlethan operations.
“This is a significant grain growing region and both GrainCorp and the government have invested significant amounts to improve the rail freight service to Ardlethan, it is therefore important that it not be adversely affected by the proposal,” a GrainCorp spokesman said.
Griffith Shire Council will chair a community meeting tonight at the local Ex-Servicemen’s Club.
Ardlethan Environment Solutions directors Peter Francis and Glen Cunningham were invited to the forum but have indicated they won’t attend.
On the agenda will be the company’s decision to delay its environmental impact statement (EIS) by 15 months to May 2017.
Don’t Rubbish the Riverina lobby group spokeswoman Renee Doyle said the delay showed the naivety of the company.
“(May 2017) is probably how long it should have taken them to make the plan to begin with, not just rush it through,” Mrs Doyle said.
“It shows how inexperienced they are.
“They are literally two mining executives who are parading themselves as a waste management company.”
A similar landfill proposal at Yithan was pitched in the 1990s but was rejected due to environmental risks.
Mrs Doyle said the risk to agriculture remained.
“(The plan) might look great on paper, but producers can only lose from this,” she said.
“One of Australia’s main marketing advantagtes is how safe our produce is.”
“You’re bringing in rubbish to an area that has so many intersecting industries – the citrus, the grains, the vineyards – and none of them will benefit from having (the landfill) nearby.”
Ardlethan Environment Solutions said pests and diseases would not be an issue for the landfill as the waste would be delivered in sealed containers from Sydney via rail.
Seepage and loose rubbish would be contained.
Company director Peter Francis conceded the company had been optimistic in its initial environmental impact statement (EIS) deadline but said the company was committed to getting the proposal right.
Mr Francis also accused Mayor John Dal Broi of hypocrisy for supporting the recent Tharbogang Quarry landfill expansion at Griffith but not the Yithan project.
Mr Dal Broi said the Tharbogang Quarry had passed a three-year planning assessment and would accept 24,000t of rubbish per year, compared to the 400,000t figure mooted for Ardlethan.
“I totally reject that comparison.
Our tip is placed in a quarry that is totally contained, and where there is no chance of leaking into a creek,” Cr Dal Broi said.
“When we had a huge amount of rainfall in 2012, there was a great amount of runoff at the proposed (Yithan landfill) site and into Mirrool Creek, which traverses our boundaries.
“It would have basically meant contaminated water flowing across the district.”
Unlike Griffith, Coolamon Shire Council held off taking a position on the issue.
Shire mayor John Seymour said the council would review the EIS when it was tabled.
