Cleanaway's Western Sydney Energy & Resource Recovery Centre

I have a family with three young children and do not want them exposed to the fumes that would be emitted from the incinerator if the project were to go ahead.

I believe the main focus will be a trash-to-steam approach, i.e., an incinerator. The problem with such projects is that they require a dedicated trash stream for the incinerator to be profitable. This negates any future focus on true resource recovery and recycling systems. Also, I have a concern that the burning temperature will not be high enough to completely burn such effluent components like benzine and other cancer-causing chemical. We lost China because our recycling content was contaminated. We need to make efforts to better sort recycling as it is done in Western Europe to increase the value of the recycling product. Then, jobs and infrastructure can "close the loop" from virgin materials thru use to disposal to the recycling system. Thank you.

Health hazard, Polition, noise, traffic

I am a resident of the Blacktown area and would like to make a submission against the development of the eastern creek incinerator on the following grounds:

1. Temperature Inversions, The Blacktown area already has poor air quality in winter due to frequent temperature inversions when cold air is trapped via warmer air fronts above which doesn't allow pollution to escape especially from slow combustion heaters that make it impossible to go outside. The emissions from the incinerator will just exacerbate the problem depositing many of the same carcinogens as wood smoke plus many more due to the variety of materials to be burnt. Such particles are to fine to see but easily enter lung tissue.

2. Prospect Reservoir. With the facility's filters being unable to capture 100% of emission particles and the wind rose for the area showing a predominantly WSW wind direction, many of the heavier particles e.g. mercury, cadmium, lead + other dioxins will find their way into Sydney's main water supply right next door.

3. Existing Rubbish Dumps/Pollution. Blacktown already has may existing waste disposal facilities e.g. Walgrove road tip plus with the completion of Badgerys Creek Airport will have excessive air, soil, water and noise pollution to deal with. A waste facility incinerator in this region is unconscionable.

4. Old technology. Incinerators are being scaled down in Europe with better alternatives being large scale solar plants and wind farms (Australia has more than sufficient land to enable this away from built up areas)

I strongly object to Cleanaway's Western Sydney Energy & Resource Recovery Centre building 5 incinerators in Sydney Basin. It will add to air pollution & it will be trapped there.
4 of the incinerators will be built in Western Sydney, near homes & schools, which have been there a long time.
The temperature of western Sydney is hotter in summer & colder in winter than other parts of Sydney. The incinerators will add to this, as well as to declining health of the people who live there. This is unacceptable.
They are known to cause cancer & increase C,O 2 levels. Councils overseas are getting rid of them.
If you ant to have incinerators put them where people want them or not at all.
Renewable energy is the way to go.

I object to the project on the grounds that it will burn plastic made from fossil fuels to make electricity. This will cause local pollution and add fossil CO2 to the atmosphere. Any project like this should also plan to use the waste heat in order to be worthwhile.

This will impact the health of my family. I have small children and have just built a home. I cannot afford to move elsewhere but will have to if this gets put in

I am a Blacktown resident and am disgusted by what cleanaway are proposing to bring into our backyard. recent study (Mao, et al. 2007) found that the concentrations of PM2.5 and
PM10 in the study area located downwind of the incinerator were significantly higher
(between 220% and 700% higher) than the study area upwind of the incinerator. The
study indicated that the air had “significant contamination by air pollutants emitted” from a
waste incinerator, representing a public health problem for nearby residents, despite the
facility being equipped with a modern air pollution control system.
Many studies, old and new, show that communities all around the world, living close to
incinerators, even modern facilities, suffer higher rates of cancer and respiratory
problems (e.g. http://tinyurl.com/y7dteo). The recently released Paris Appeal
Memorandum, supported by the European Standing Committee of Doctors (representing
2 million doctors), urged a moratorium on building any new incinerators
(www.artac.info/static.php?op=MemorandumParisAppeal.txt&npds=1).
This study “Toxic ash contaminates our food supply”’ Ash and other residues from waste
incineration contain dioxins, furans (PCDD/Fs) and a range of other highly toxic POPs at
levels which are a threat to human health and the environment. Current management
practices and regulatory threshold levels for POPs that contaminate incinerator residues
are not preventing releases of POPs into agricultural settings, the food chain and the
broader environment. http://ipen.org/sites/default/files/documents/ipen-toxic-fly-ash-in-
food-v1_4a-en-web.pdf

I am strongly opposed to this project and feel that it will put all residents at high risk for health issues. Please I beg off you to use your common sense when deciding on this project, it will impact us for years to come. Don’t do this to western Sydney there will no winners.

My family and I don’t want this so close to our house or anyone’s house for that matter. This facility should not be built So close to residential areas. I’m sure other areas with far less population could be found to build this.

The incinerator is the reason so many of us locals are looking at moving.
It’s scary and horrible and can’t believe it is even being considered.
I don’t want to live anywhere in the Blacktown council area if this incinerator is allowed.

As a resident approximately 3km from the proposed facility I object to this proposal.

The eastern creek landfill site (close to the proposed site) exudes noxious smells throughout summer and to a lesser extend over cooler months.
I am concerned that winds from the same general direction will carry stack exhaust across Minchinbury and surrounds in a similar manner, imposing unwanted smells or micro particles of burnt gases across our suburbs.

In addition, the condition of Walgrove road and its traffic burden is already unsafe. Adding additional trucks to bring in the garbage, remove the captured metals, bottom ash and the cleaning stack ash will add unwanted traffic to the surrounding road network which is in disrepair.

This type of energy from waste is untested in Australia, and relies on a steady (or increasing) source of waste, leading to lower incentive for residents, businesses, councils and governments from maintaining or increasing recycling efforts. In turn, more "new" sources of waste (i.e. new production of plastics etc) is required.

Rather than burn waste, I would encourage greater emphasis on minimising packaging of products, improved access to viable recycling programs, community education, and making product packaging from more easily recycled content.

Bottom ash is a concentrated form of waste which is very toxic and would add to the dangerous goods being moved by truck to a suitable secure landfill site.

If the purpose of this proposal is to create energy, we should be looking at renewable energy sources rather than "waste creating" solutions that rely on maintaining existing MWS volume.

If the purpose is to reduce waste going to landfill, better waste minimisation strategies should be employed (green waste bins, split bins for hard/soft plastics to make recycling soft plastics more accessible).

I’m writing to submit my objection to this planned “waste to energy” project. I object to the project based on health research which has shown that the material released from these facilities is hazardous to local residents. My family and I live in Minchinbury, along with many other families. Our house, school, preschool amongst other locations such as Sydney zoo, Sydney Motorsport park and the prospect dam all fall within this area which will be affected by these particles which are released.
The exposure to these particles will adversely affect our children’s future. My kids already suffer asthma, prolonged exposure to this material will only make their health conditions worse. They’re active children who like to play outside on their trampoline and pool, however if this facility is built they’ll lose that ability! Likewise if this facility is built it will affect the prices of houses within the affected suburbs like our Minchinbury. I can’t understand how this is allowed, why we can be punished for no reason at all. We’ve worked extremely hard for what we have and that will be affected by this build.
On previous applications (which have been refused by the IPC - based on a variety of reasons, but including health information - so I don’t understand how another application can be considered) our community vehemently rejected the proposal to protect our health, families and community.
The government continues to approve great projects in western Sydney, including; the zoo, updated parklands, cycle ways ect but how do we enjoy these if this facility is approved?! It’s counter intuitive for the NSW government to approve health based, family facilities and then for them to approve this negative project.
This is compiled by an increase in noise from the facility and increased amount of trucks moving to and from the facility on an already congested roadway.
If we want to improve energy, the government and these businesses should look to build projects which won’t impact our children and future negatively.

Western Sydney already has some of the worst air pollution in the Sydney basin. We do not need another contributor to this. The incinerator should not be built in Western Sydney. I feel everyone wants to dump what's not wanted elsewhere here in Western Sydney

As a local member of the neighboring suburb Minchinbury a suburb where i grew up and my family live. It was a short time ago that a submission for a "incinerator" was rejected due to the health risk posed to the local residents and it was agreed that all future motions for such facility would not be possible. This is not a resource recovery centre rather a incinerator which will dispose a health risk to all the local residents that are neighboring the facility including my family. As a rational human i undertand the importance of generating clean energy however i value life and a incinerator in residential western sydney will affect the community and as such my reasoning for objecting. This incinerator will leave hazardous ash that will cover the surrounding suburbs where thousands of families and young children are trying to live all within a 3km radius of the proposed site.

The last thing we need in Blacktown are tall exhaust towers to pollute the air with smell and tarnish what is left of this town..

I wish to strongly object to the incinerator being built in this area.

I object the proposal on the basis of the health and well being of the people of western Sydney.

CLEANAWAY SUBMISSION

There are many reasons why the Cleanaway project is unacceptable so I wish to submit an objection to the Cleanaway site proposed for Western Sydney on the following grounds:

The major issue is the threat to HUMAN HEALTH

The Cleanaway site is located in close proximity to residential areas in Western Sydney which is predicted to continue to experience exponential growth in future years. According to Taylor and Francis, increased adult lung cancer and all cancers have been found in the vicinity of incinerators with the peak occurring 14 years after the beginning of operations and predicts substantial excess cardiac mortality and morbidity. It
emphasizes that fœtus and infants are particularly susceptible to damage from toxins and carcinogens. This is backed up by Lung et al who identified an increased risk of mild-to-moderate developmental delay at ages six months and 36 months in Taiwanese’s children living near incinerators compared to control populations with adjustment for socioeconomic status. There are many other studies that support this research.

Incinerators release toxic ash which include dioxins and furans which are dangerous to health and produce ash. For example, Fly ash is enriched with heavy metals and organic micro pollutants which have been shown to have NO safe level and even when it is placed in landfill, leaching of the soil can occur which can be a source of ground contamination and lead to damage of the water table and introduction into the food chain. ( Pollution Emissions from Modern Incinerators:
International Journal of Environment and Pollution - Rui Lima & R T Bachman)

Asthmatics are ‘especially sensitive to episodes of atmospheric pollution’ (Climate and Chronic respiratory disease in Sydney - the case of asthma) so they would be at high risk. Additionally,
pollutants have a cumulative effect so emissions from other sources contribute to air quality. An incinerator with the resultant pollutants and increase in traffic created by transportation of materials to be incinerated, plus air pollution caused by a 24 hour airport in the area seems unsustainable. This is particularly concerning in relation to the number of schools located in the immediate area. This project could result in a generational disaster.

CLIMATE CHANGE
There is no way to predict future climatic conditions which was demonstrated by the recent bushfires where smoke and ash filled the Sydney Basin. Variant winds which are predicted to be more common can transport pollutants right across the Sydney Basin affecting the whole Sydney population. As bushfires are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity it seems negligent to build an incinerator which will add more pollutants to the air and degrade air quality. According to the Bushfire Royal Commission (2020) smoke seriously affected many people in the population (including Sydney area). Investment in clean energy is the responsibility of all government and non-government agencies.

RISK ASSESSMENT
Project risk assessment often only analyzes chemicals in isolation and doesn’t recognize that the act of incineration itself causes many chemicals to bond with other chemicals to form new substances which may be even more dangerous to health. It also doesn’t take into account the other pollutants in the immediate area that accumulate and increase the pollution level.

SYDNEY WATER
Warragamba Dam supplies water to about 5 million people in Sydney and the Lower Blue Mountains and has a large catchment area. These areas will be vulnerable to soil leaching from the escape of ash and gases and landfilling of ash deposits created by an incinerator. Water NSW lists nitrogen and phosphorus “as of greater risk to water quality than others” and responsible for the production of blue green algae and changes in acidity and alkalinity.

RECYCLING
The use of incineration is a wasteful and resource expensive system. Materials are transported to the site and then changed into another form which is not reused. There are other methods such as composting which can be used for organic materials that can then be converted into such things as agricultural fertiliser. Other methods that produce no ash include Mechanical-Biological Treatment, Anaerobic Digestion and Advanced Thermal Technologies. This develops a circular system so that we all learn how to recycle efficiently and avoid unnecessary pollution to the environment in which we all live. This way we encourage the conservation of finite resources. “Compared to other energy sources, the financial costs of waste to energy are high and maintaining a waste stream for supply of material counteracts the imperative to reduce waste” (US Energy Administration 2013 [cited 2019 May 8] Similarly, the amount of energy produced by incinerators is considerably less than the amount saved by recycling and with greater cost to human health.

FINANCIAL COSTS
The financial and ecological costs of waste to energy are comparably high. The expense of building the facility and the duration of use needs to be considered. As recycling and renewable technologies develop the need for an incinerator will diminish. Many countries (including the USA) are now closing incinerators as they are considered old technology and their use is not supported by the public. Cites like New York and San Francisco have adopted zero-waste policies that create incentives for diverting waste from landfills or incinerators, so that burning trash will increasingly become obsolete.

The cost of medical admissions and treatments which include both physical and mental complaints as well as loss of productivity due to worker ill health are financial costs to the economy. The cost to individuals and the economy can be long lasting.

COMPLIANCE
The residents of Erskine Park and St Clair have been subjected to many instances of waste disposal issues where assurances have been given that strict regulations would be in place to protect our environment. Unfortunately this has proven not to be true and regulations have often been flouted resulting in many community meetings with the Environment Protection Authority who in my opinion seemed unable to adequately enforce these agreed regulations.

In conclusion, incineration isn’t really a good solution as it only converts materials from one form to another and the resultant by products will either be put into the atmosphere creating pollution or require landfilling. As policies that create incentives for diverting waste from landfills or incinerators are adopted due to climate change, burning trash will increasingly become unnecessary.

Incineration may appear to be a quick and easy way to deal with an immediate problem but there are too many risks to human health already known related to this method, while other consequences may not appear for many years. The potentially dangerous emissions to air, the high volume of ash that needs landfilling and the very toxic nature of fly ash, I believe, make it ethically unconscionable to proceed when so many people will be negatively impacted including future generations.

This Project should not go ahead as it is Harmful to Our community and all the People in it

I strongly oppose the building of Cleanaway's Western Sydney Energy & Resource Recovery Centre. Given the poor track record of Cleanaway when it comes to environmental safety, I am not convinced that Cleanaway can ensure the public health safety of the people of Western Sydney in regards to this proposal.