Kings Park Metal Recovery and Recycling Facility Expansion

TfNSW Response

I strongly object to this project coming to Western Sydney

This project should only go ahead if the exhaust air from the incinerator is filtered to the highest possible standard to ensure excellent air quality for current and future generations. I could not find any information about exhaust air filtration in the documentation about this project. Let's not miss this opportunity to make sure the overall impact of this development is positive, not negative!

I am an owner/resident living nearby and strongly object to the expansion of the Kings Park Metal Recovery and Recycling Facility SSD-10396 for the following.
The site is partially surrounded by small hills that act as an amphitheater up into the residential areas.
I have noted an exponential growth in the number of days that far exceeding ambient noise coming from the site, 30 days to date this year and believe this type and size of business is unsuitable for the vicinity of residential and retail shops in the area.
As a result of this business, I find myself closing windows and doors, turning the TV or radio up to try to hide the repetitive metallic noise being emitted from the facility and unable to sit quietly to read a book in my home. The insulation in my home blocks all standard road noises, leaving only the noise from the Sell and Parker site. My sleep pattern has to match their maintenance hours but still get woken to occasional hammering of metal objects late at night and being startled from sleep between 6am and 7am is common.
My fear is that more material handled will equate to even more excessively noisy days.

I object to this project as the project has already caused distress to the surrounding communities, and an application to double this will be even worse and make surrounding suburbs even less desirable for people to reside. I have spoken to multiple people who have also complained about the distress Sell and Parker already cause throughout every week by creating excess noise that can be heard multiple suburbs away. This single business had caused issues for so many people around the Blacktown city council areas. I have family members who have disabilities and are already inconvenienced by Sell and Parker, so therefore any expansion cannot go ahead.

Although I understand the need to have metal recycling facilities, I do have the following concerns as to the future impact to to residents in the general locality ,i.e. within 1-2 km of the site.
The issues that are of concern are listed below;
- There seems to be no monitoring as to the amount of material proposed to be processed. As all of the documents are based on 'assumed' impacts to road traffic levels and noise levels, if the actual material is actually higher than the 600,000 tons proposed, then it can be assumed that higher traffic levels are generated, as well as possible noise increases. Who actually monitors these levels, and how are they reported them so as the community can access them.
- The reports on the existing noise studies are at least 5 years out of date and also do not seem to be accurate. Firstly, The reports indicates that a noise wall exists along Sunnyholt Road, however there is no wall at the junction of Vardys Rd and the transit way on Sunnyholt Road. Although I live over 1km from the site, when a westerly wind bows (which seems the most prominent direction it blows from in winter) I can clearly hear the sound of steel being unloaded/processed in the early and mid morning.
The report also indicates that there are no noise monitoring locations on the residents side of Sunnyholt rd north of the processing site.
- There seems to be complete dismissal of the proposed development of an adjacent site for Pick n' Payless. Therefore as a nearby resident, I have no idea as to the overall impact these developments will have to traffic and noise to the community.
- Maintenance noise levels. I would have to assume that as more machinery is installed at the recycling plant, more maintenance activity will need to be carried out. As this is a 24 hour operation, I have concerns as to the noise levels this may generate, keeping in mind that the ambient noise levels at night are low, and and wind can carry the noise considerable distances.
- Are the operators of this site penalised in any way if the noise levels are exceeded? There is a mention in the Arcadis report 17 Sept 2020 , Mitigation measures 9.4.2 that the plants operations and activities will be modified in accordance to the wind direction and strength, however that has not always been the case, as mentioned above, these operations can be heard over 1km away. .

This current project already creates extensive noise levels, expansion of it would impact the neighbourhood as well living standards in suburb

Mr HANLONG LU
6 ELLIOTT ST KINGS PARK NSW 2148
APPLICATION NUMBER SSD-10396
APPICANT SELL &PARKER PTY LTD
Object the proposal
In my opinion, I am not only to object the proposal, but also strongly inquire government to enforce the company moving out from kings park.
1.Kings park is becoming a high rate of cancer in NSW area. I believe the company had contributed by waste gases,smokes and dusk.
2.Waste LIQUIDS is also an important factors to damage the area.
3.From March 2014, we family four people started to live in 6 Elliott St KINGS PARK, my wife found her get breast cancer in few months. I got throat pain and serious nose allege which lasts for next four years until I moved out. My sun and daughter also became asthma patient in the same time. After we left, their disease became weak immediately.

Attached below please find a sample from the complaints register going back to 2014 from the operators website located in the Social Section @ https://www.sellparker.com.au/about/environmental-social-and-governance/
Our property is located at about a KM away however we are impacted by the constant uncomfortable metal banging, grinding, shredding noises everyday starting early till late in the afternoons most days.
Based on the history of this operation and a total lack of concern about the environmental impact that is caused to the neighboring properties I fail to see how it is possible for this operation to continue at this site. This kind of operation should not be conducted at a location so close to residential areas. I propose to relocated this operation to an area outside of the immediate residential area.

26 October 2020
Your ref: SSD-10396….. Kings Park Metal Recovery and Recycling Facility Expansion development.
Attention: Planning Industry, & Environment

I am writing in regards to the Kings Park Metal Recovery and Recycling Facility Expansion development.
We are very opposed and object to this expansion due to the noise impact for home residents. We have experienced excessive noise from the metal recyclers for several years from early hours in the morning till late at night. If the proposed expansion is to be approved this will only exasperate an already intolerable noise level for residents living in this area.
My family moved into our present home in 2014. In that time the noise from the metal recycling plant has been non- stop. It sounds as if they are working to capacity as it is to recycle 350,000 tons per year. Noise has often been out of the noisy work restriction time. In 2017 we rang Blacktown council to complain about the noise which had been going each night till after midnight. It interrupts our sleep and we have to often close the windows in our home to minimize the noise, but it does not stop the noise. I would like to also note when visiting friends in Rosina Crescent in Kings Langley the noise is also intrusive and noticeable. With the amount of metal being recycled to 600,000 tons Proposed in the planning application and no sound barriers or other plans to minimize sound to the local residential area then this proposal sounds unacceptable.

Please find attached EPA response.

As long term residents of Kings Park we have had to deal with the continual banging and crashing noises emanating from this site and the pick and pay less site.
The use of the local roads by large transport vehicles is bad enough with the current scenario.
If the throughput of the plant nearly doubles as per the proposal the noise pollution issues and large truck issues will consequently double to intolerable levels severely impacting the residents and the local community using the public facilities such as the local parks and sports grounds.
This noise is also able to be heard inside residences even when all doors and windows are shut and these operations continue on Saturdays with sunday being the only day that residents can relax without hearing this abhorrent noise.
We have on prior occaissons lodged complaints with the EPA.

As an owner within Gilbert Crescent, Kings Langley , I have received correspondence from the Department of Planning, Industry & Environment relating to the Notice of Exhibition for the Kings Park Metal Recovery and Recycling Facility.

I have read the correspondence and are in support of the facility being provided approval to increase their throughput.
I have lived here for over 40 years and believe the facility has made a positive contribution to the local community since it commenced, by employing a number of locals including apprentices.

The name of the project does not reflect its impact. I believe its 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.

I object to this project as I am already distressed from the amount of noise pollution. I am currently struggling to work from home as I am constantly hearing crashing and banging from 6am until 9pm. This makes online client meetings quite difficult for me, not to mention how frustrating hearing that uncomfortable sound 6 days a week when I am meant to be in the comfort of my own home in a nice and quiet residential community. This is distressing for not only myself, but also my family and my neighbours. I can't even begin to imagine how much worse this already displeasing situation can get if the work they are doing doubles. I have spent my whole live living in this home and I am so upset and disappointed in how a project that causes so much noise pollution and distress to those in the surrounding residential area could be approved. I strongly object to the increase of work, the increase in noise in the last 12 months has been unbearable enough.
I am happy to provide videos of the noise we are facing on a daily basis however your upload platform will only allow PDF - contact me if you would like to follow up with this.

NO to increase to 600 000 tonnes per annum.
I have lived in Anthony st, Blacktown for 25 years. The last 12 months approx have become almost unbearable, we can longer open windows in our house because the noise of metal screeching, banging and loud thumps. This starts as early as 6am and can continue until 9pm 6 days a week. With the warmer weather coming I have the right to open my windows but I can’t, my tv is on to drown out the sound and that is with the windows closed. My pets are often jumping with fear because of sudden sounds from them. No longer can we enjoy our back yard or entertain outside. I no longer need an alarm clock because Sell and Parker wake me up even if I want a sleep in. How unbearable will be for us all if they almost double the amount. Please NO. Sell and Parker are located to close to schools and residential homes. I STRONGLY OBJECT

I have lived at my current address since 1981 and therefore, for the entire time that the facility has operated.
In more recent years (last 3 years approx.) noise from the site has become more noticeable particularly at night. These events are irregular but will sometimes be problematic for 2-3 nights and then reduce/cease.
The noise levels emanating from the plant are sufficient to be heard over a tv in a rear sitting room of our house but admittedly with the back door open. They have also been sufficient that we have been woken by them, ( that is correct! the excessive noise is from time to time, outside the operating hours specified in your document.)
It is probably worth noting at this point that our dwelling is 1.29km from the site (as measured straight line distance on Google Earth)
I would contend that the monitoring points for noise in the documents are poorly placed and do not accurately represent actual living outcomes.
Further, existing noise abatement devices and large metal object handling practices at site are inadequate.
The current levels of activity with associated noise are marginally tolerable for our residential area, so increased activity could reasonably be expected to produce a highly
undesirable environment.

We object to this application for the Kings Park Metal Recovery and Recycling Facility Expansion due to traffic concerns. We already suffer from major high traffic congestion in Romford/Tattersall Roads due to the trucks coming in and out of the Sell and Parker property. Trucks are constantly parking in the cul de sac on Romford Rd as well as lining up on Tattersall Road which in turn blocks any traffic from getting through until those trucks have finally entered the property. This also has major ramifications on the street parking in the area. Consequences leading to most organizations' employees and clientele not having the adequate spaces to park.
Unfortunately the congestion already causes headaches for the surrounding organizations, this expansion will only add to the problem.