Wonthaggi Residents Voice Asbestos Fears
Many residents of Wonthaggi had already opposed the planned project to build a desalination plant in the Victorian town.Now they are voicing their concerns that asbestos dust may be blowing into the town.
Residents concerns stem from the fact, they say, that asbestos is sitting in a quarry in Wonthaggi unprotected and uncovered. Apparently gravel and other possibly toxic materials were removed from the plant site and dumped into a pit and have been yet to be removed.
The Bass Coast Shire Council has, upon hearing the concerns of the townspeople, demanded that the possibly harmful material be moved from the location causing these concerns.
Anti-desalination campaigner Neil Rankin has stated that, “It appears that it was driven through the middle of town without any of the usual protection that’s involved in disposing of asbestos waste and that it appears that it’s still just sitting there without anything really adequate being done about it.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Sustainability claim that although asbestos was found at the sight, it has since been properly disposed of.
The Environment Protection Authority states that they have not been assured of this proper removal.