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State Significant Development

Determination

Eastern Creek Energy from Waste Facility

Blacktown

Current Status: Determination

Interact with the stages for their names

  1. SEARs
  2. Prepare EIS
  3. Exhibition
  4. Collate Submissions
  5. Assessment
  6. Recommendation
  7. Determination

The Applicant has appealed the IPC's refusal of the proposal in the L&E Court. The Court has allowed the applicant to amend its application and ordered it be exhibited on the Major Projects planning portal. The exhibition concluded on 21 June 2022.

Attachments & Resources

Notice of Exhibition (1)

Request for SEARs (1)

SEARS (1)

EIS (62)

Engagements (1)

Response to Submissions (139)

Agency Advice (8)

Assessment (7)

Amendments (7)

Recommendation (2)

Determination (3)

Approved Documents

There are no post approval documents available

Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.

Complaints

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Enforcements

There are no enforcements for this project.

Inspections

There are no inspections for this project.

Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.

Submissions

Filters
Showing 1 - 20 of 50 submissions
Deidre Turner
Object
ST CLAIR , New South Wales
Message
Once again, I oppose the Eastern Creek energy to waste facility. It is a health danger to all residents within its vicinity and should not even be considered for approval. Wealth before health will always end up costing more in the long run by hospital and medical care requirements. This facility should be proposed for an unoccupied area which will not impact any person’s health. Disgusting that it is being considered once again.
Name Withheld
Object
ERSKINE PARK , New South Wales
Message
I oppose this project for the western suburbs. I don’t want myself or my family surrounded by toxins. We moved here 9 years ago and have enjoyed our neighbourhood. What’s the point of trying to add value to the area by creating Sydney Zoo and upgrade our roads in expectancy of the new airport just to introduce a system that brings such negativity and disgust along with it. It’s filthy poison which I can’t imagine anyone would want in their backyard.
Attachments
Ankush Chauhan
Object
SEVEN HILLS , New South Wales
Message
This will impact my Son’s Health because off the pollution.
Name Withheld
Object
ERSKINE PARK , New South Wales
Message
I do not want my family being exposed to toxic pollution where we live, work and my children attend school.
Jim Sarkis
Support
Strathfield , New South Wales
Message
I support a solution that diverts waste from landfills, from technology that is widely used around the world and creates energy that does detrimentally effect the environment.
Name Withheld
Object
ERSKINE PARK , New South Wales
Message
I do not want my family being exposed to toxic pollution where we live, work and my children attend school.
Name Withheld
Object
MOUNT DRUITT , New South Wales
Message
They are calling the project Waste to Energy but it is essentially a large incinerator which burns waste products and the heat is used to generate electricity. If approved, it will be the largest of its type in the world, dwarfing similar facilities already in operation in Europe and the UK.

1 - The application states (Page vi DECLARATION-URBIS EIS) "The Proposed facility may release substance to atmosphere, which have the potential to harm human health" confirming this incinerator is dangerous to health.

2 - The Incinerator is proposed to burn 1.3 million tonnes of garbage each year on completion. (Stage 1 & 2)

3 - The incinerator would emit dangerous emissions such as; Particulate matter (PM), arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, mercury, dioxin, furans, Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Fluoride, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, POPs, PAHs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the next 30+ years.

4 - There will be two incinerator stacks per stage, on completion this incinerator will have four stacks pumping out emissions.

5 - A study completed in November 2017 has found that living near a waste to energy incinerator carries the same health risks as second hand cigarette smoke. Source: https://www.cbf.org/document-library/cbf-reports/thurston-wheelabrator-health-impacts-2017.pdf

6 - Family homes are only 800 meters from the incinerator site.

7 - Three schools are within 1.8km of the site.

8 - Sydney's basin shape means it traps pollution. Adding an incinerator to Western Sydney, where the air quality is already poor, is a human right issue. Families already affected with respiratory issues such as asthma, will be severely impacted by an incinerator, putting an additional impact on the health system.

9 - Prospect Reservoir is 5km from the incinerator site, which forms part of the drinking water for 6 million people in Greater Sydney. Putting our drinking water under threat of contamination.

10 - The Incinerator will use the bioretention basin to filter waste water, silt and sediment from the incinerator, the EIS states "An outlet from the basin will discharge into the existing Ropes Creek tributary to the south of the site". This practice would put the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system, an important natural asset and one of the largest coastal river catchments along the NSW coastline at risk. Its waters support agricultural and horticultural industries that generate more than $1 billion annually, including $259 million of irrigated agriculture which supplies much of Sydney's fresh food.

11 - The incinerator would produce 450,000 tonnes of toxic ash every year that still needs to be landfilled.

Furthermore, the history of the proprietor proves that he cannot be trusted to adhere to health emission levels or guidelines as he has proven to be highly untrustworthy while stockpiling massive amounts of asbestos, placing a pollution pipeline into Alexandria Waters and more. This facility will not only be taking in waste from Sydney but, it will go further to pollute the whole of the state (air, soil and water) by bringing in waste from other cities and states. Even considering opening the door to such a facility is abuse of power, utterly inconsiderate of human and animal health and life and putting monetary value above human life. This is an outrageously dangerous concept to even consider, especially in the middle of a highly populated city and so close to everything highly populated area. The suburbs nearby are already suffering from the sewage stench that is emanating throughout their homes every night. If anyone were to think of considering approval of this facility one must consider this question: Would I like to live right next door to such a facility?
Name Withheld
Object
MOUNT DRUITT , New South Wales
Message
The application states (Page vi DECLARATION-URBIS EIS) "The Proposed facility may release substance to atmosphere, which have the potential to harm human health" confirming this incinerator is dangerous to health.

The Incinerator is proposed to burn 1.3 million tonnes of garbage each year on completion. (Stage 1 & 2)

The incinerator would emit dangerous emissions such as; Particulate matter (PM), arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, mercury, dioxin, furans, Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Fluoride, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, POPs, PAHs, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the next 30+ years.

There are further nanoparticles which these stacks will emit into the air. Currently, the technology to assess or detect these nanoparticles or the compounds does not exist.
There will be two incinerator stacks per stage, on completion this incinerator will have four stacks pumping out emissions.

A study completed in November 2017 has found that living near a waste to energy incinerator carries the same health risks as second hand cigarette smoke. Source: https://www.cbf.org/document-library/cbf-reports/thurston-wheelabrator-health-impacts-2017.pdf

Family homes are only 800 metres from the incinerator site.

Three schools are within 1.8km of the site.

Sydney's basin shape means it traps pollution. Adding an incinerator to Western Sydney, where the air quality is already poor, is a human right issue. Families already affected with respiratory issues such as asthma, will be severely impacted by an incinerator, putting an additional impact on the health system.

Prospect Reservoir is 5km from the incinerator site, which forms part of the drinking water for 6 million people in Greater Sydney. Putting our drinking water under threat of contamination.

The Incinerator will use the bioretention basin to filter waste water, silt and sediment from the incinerator, the EIS states "An outlet from the basin will discharge into the existing Ropes Creek tributary to the south of the site". This practice would put the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system, an important natural asset and one of the largest coastal river catchments along the NSW coastline at risk. Its waters support agricultural and horticultural industries that generate more than $1 billion annually, including $259 million of irrigated agriculture which supplies much of Sydney's fresh food.

The incinerator would produce 450,000 tonnes of toxic ash every year that still needs to be landfilled.

The proprietor has a proven history of being untrustworthy. We do not believe that the proprietor will adhere to health emission levels or guidelines. Even considering opening the door to such a facility is abuse of power, utterly inconsiderate of human and animal health and life and putting monetary value above human life. The suburbs nearby are already suffering from the sewage stench that is emanating throughout their homes every night. Think before you approve: "Would I like to live right next door to this facility?"
Name Withheld
Object
MINCHINBURY , New South Wales
Message
I don’t agree to this and don’t want it so close to my house. We have no information on how this will affect us by way of smell or emissions.
Name Withheld
Object
ST CLAIR , New South Wales
Message
It's harmful to the residents around
Name Withheld
Object
BUNGARRIBEE , New South Wales
Message
Did not like original or ammended proposals. No incinerator in West.
Name Withheld
Object
MINCHINBURY , New South Wales
Message
We already get enough bad smells in our suburb coming from this site. Sometimes you are unable to have your windows open to let fresh air in. I’d rather the site be closed completely.
Name Withheld
Object
MINCHINBURY , New South Wales
Message
There's enough pollution in the area and the occassional stench from the eastern creek tip. Is there no more consideration to the health and safety of the residents in the surrounding suburbs? I am baffled that this is even being considered. This is too close to residential areas.
Bill Choi
Object
MINCHINBURY , New South Wales
Message
As a resident near by in Minchinbury. I object the project with following reasons.

1. incinerators will emit more toxins and pollutants that harm local air quality. It makes a more significant negative contribution to local air quality than landfill.

2. Incineration Is Harmful to human:
Air pollutants such as particulate matter, which cause lung and heart diseases.
Heavy metals such as lead and mercury, which cause neurological diseases.

3. Need is not demonstrated and the plant is too big: it is designed to burn more than 1500 tonnes of waste a day – it might be much more than we currently produces. There is no evidence provided that the facility needs to be the worlds biggest in scale.

4. It will have big climate change impacts: Incineration is one of the worst performing methods for waste disposal when carbon dioxide costs are calculated.
Anna Magro
Object
BLACKTOWN , New South Wales
Message
I don't want this close to my home. I need to close my windows during some nights due to the smell and the smell wafts in during the day. This toxic and putrid smell is offensive and dangerous to my health.
Comment
HUNTINGWOOD , New South Wales
Message
Please refer to the attachments.
Attachments
Name Withheld
Object
ST CLAIR , New South Wales
Message
The stench that travels from this facility across our property is not only dreadful it’s causing sickness for my kids and I. I’ve had headaches since January and my kids are nautilus every time the odour is really strong.
Name Withheld
Object
ST CLAIR , New South Wales
Message
This incinerator poses significant health risks to the local community. The local community has already vigorously objected previous proposals this proposal is no different we do not wish to raise our children in the proximity of something that has been scientifically proven to be detrimental to human health. Western Sydney is in a basin, during bush fires smoke lingers for weeks when there is no wind, this will be the same for the deadly pollutants released from this incinerator. Please do not do this to our community we will already have to deal with the extra emissions from the new Western Sydney airport and accompanying infrastructure with increased traffic. This incinerator is the last thing we need to add that will decrease the air quality for local residents.
DEREK FINTER
Object
MUDGEE , New South Wales
Message
I have supported the campaign to stop this project from it's earliest days. Even though I now live some distance from the location I still strongly believe the population living in the immediate, and wider, area, should be protected from the toxic effects this incinerator would cause. It must not be approved.
Name Withheld
Object
MINCHINBURY , New South Wales
Message
This project is only about profits for the company and no benefit for the community. They do not care about the thousands of people living in the surrounding suburbs and we will suffer daily from the polluted air. Burning large amounts of waste and pumping it into the air is not safe for anyone.

Pagination

Project Details

Application Number
SSD-6236
Assessment Type
State Significant Development
Development Type
Waste collection, treatment and disposal
Local Government Areas
Blacktown
Decision
Refused
Determination Date
Decider
LEC

Contact Planner

Name
Sally Munk