Moss Vale Plastics Recycling Facility

Please see submission attached.
Serious concerns about the social and environmental impact of this proposal.

I object to the project. I live on Bulwer Rd with my husband and 3 children and a number of pets on a beautiful 5 acre property which effectively backs on to the site for the proposed factory. The site is approximately 750 metres from our family home or 10 minutes' walk.
We have lived at our address since 2015 and have enjoyed a beautiful quality of life since. We built our home on the property where we could enjoy space, views and clean air however close to schools and shops.
This factory has the potential of impacting significantly on my enjoyment of my family home and family life.
I am concerned about air quality. I do not wish for my family to breathe the air of a massive plastics refinery. My children and I suffer with asthma and allergy and am concerned about the health impacts on my children and I including potential poisons.
I will not be able to ride my bike along Berrima Rd or Lytton Rd and Beaconsfield Rd with my children as I do presently for concern about air quality and road safety due to the increased presence of trucks on our local roads.
I believe the proposed project will have a significant negative impact such that I will have to move home.
We will not be able to purchase a property of the type we hold elsewhere as we have a very special parcel of land in a beautiful area. Properties of this nature are simply not available for sale.
I am concerned about the effects on wildlife in nearby waterways including the many ducks around Lytton and Beaconsfield Road and will lose their habitats or be run over by trucks. At our property there are neighbouring cows that come up to our fence line and we regularly see kangaroos come through.
The sheer size of the facility is disproportionate to the needs of our community. I do not see any benefit to the Moss Vale community. It is an unfair interference with our country life and risks to health and safety to have to put up with a plastics factory or a project of this size.
I do not wish to live near a plastic refinery. I did not buy near a plastics refinery and would not have done so. I do not wish for my views to be obstructed by a factory. I do not accept the interference to our air quality, potentially water and traffic impacts.
I do not feel that Moss Vale should provide the grounds for such a facility. It is an unreasonable burden on the community. Factories are more appropriately placed in the city away or other place away from residential homes. Increasingly more people are moving from Sydney to Moss Vale and the community cannot be expected to live near a massive plastics factory. The interests of the community are overwhelmingly against it.
I attach some photographs demonstrating our enjoyment of our family property and beautiful views.
Thank you for your consideration of this objection.

I object to the proposed plastic recycling facility because:
- The facts about the environment and economic impact are not addressed and many statements about these in the EIS's are incorrect or misleading
- There is extensive research that micro plastics and toxic fumes from plastic recycling facilities pose significant health risks. The location selected for this site is surrounded by rural and residential properties
- Micro plastics in waste water will be released into our sewerage

We object to the proposed Plasrefine Plastic Recycling Facility.
Please see attachment

I vehemently oppose the proposal for the 'Plasrefine' development in Moss Vale!

The site is absolutely inappropriate for such a proposal so close to a residential area, schools, daycare centres, riparian land that feeds Sydney drinking water supplies and infrastructure that will not satisfy the requirements for such huge volumes of passenger and heavy vehicles in the immediate areas proximal to the site and the broader Southern Highlands road networks. Plasrefine purchased the land on the account of it being 'cheap' with little thought to the detrimental effects it will have on the socioecological environment if this absurd proposal were to go ahead. It seems this was a gamble on a relatively cheap parcel of land, that with due diligence; local and state government authorities have a responsibility and obligation to review and decline any further progress for such a proposal going ahead. This is simply NOT THE RIGHT SITE for this proposal, in this space.

The Plasrefine development is an inappropriate proposal for this site and a true legacy issue from former councils zoning this land, south of Douglas Road for any development of this nature to be considered. This is immediate vicinity to residents and will destroy the lifestyles and endanger immediate residents, and residents in the greater Southern Highlands area and beyond. The Plasrefine facility submissions to date have been ambiguous at best, and should not be considered any further. The area surrounding the site are of a rural nature and a development of this scale will destroy the socioecological amenity of this sensitive area. The roads are unfit to support an exponentially larger volume of heavy and passenger vehicles, hundreds of extra car and truck movements every day! This will endanger residents and further choke what is already a saturated road network in and around Moss Vale. This will cripple the lifestyle of thousands of Southern Highlands residents and negatively affect existing commercial, and residential experiences that the people of the Southern Highlands have worked hard for, for so long.

The site lies in a riparian basin with significant permanent water holdings, which flow directly in to the Wingecarribee River to the East. Wingecarribee River feeds in to the Sydney drinking water supply! With storage and processing of toxic and volatile materials this would become a biohazard and jeopardise the health and safety of local residents and millions of people who rely on the water supply. This water supply would be compromised with the inevitability of the waste to flow, or be blown on the significant westerly winds experienced in the area directly into such sensitive water catchment areas that supply these millions of peoples drinking water. It is also essential to consider airborne emissions that will blow from high emission stacks that will be carried / blown over residents, further sensitive water environments and schools to the east on consistent westerly winds.

It is proposed in submissions to date that the facility will consume up to 15.5 kiloliters of water PER DAY! This is the equivalent of over 150 regular residential households! As we move in to an El Niño cycle this summer it seems negligent to allow a facility such high consumption, and the waste product of this consumption having inevitable negative effect on the sensitive ecological nature of this site. Waste water containing toxic chemicals will be expelled into this riparian land and into Sydney's drinking water catchment.

The local area does not have the fire fighting capacity to manage any potential fires the facility may have. Factories of this nature have a proven record of significant combustion risk as demonstrated by numerous examples of extreme fires in such factories from all over the world. A similar facility in Canberra less than 12 months ago (December 2022) caught fire and burned for several days. Our local fire brigades do not have the capacity to manage any fire risk which would severely compromise the health and safety of tens of thousands of Highlands residents. With a severe bush fire season predicted for this summer (it is a severe fire warning and total fire ban in the area today! it is only October...), our fire fighting resources will be exhausted and with the addition of such a facility it would seem a huge negligence would have prevailed if it were to go ahead, so close to so many residents, in such a sensitive area. It would truly be a catastrophic event which is clear that can be avoided if due diligence occurs, and any further pursuit of this development ceases after the upcoming review.

It is clear due diligence to date has not been met as a legacy and more recent issue as the proponent (GHD) ensues development, with flimsy submissions for a development that can not go ahead in such a sensitive socioecological location. I trust sensibility, responsibility and obligation will be employed from this time with to the local and greater NSW community at significant risk if any further pursuit of this project occurs. I urge due diligence to be exercised by the given authorities within local and state government bodies to dismiss this proposal and rezone this sensitive space in the Southern Highlands for alternate zoning and use in the future.

Thank you for considering my submission.

As a Moss Vale resident, a father to two children, and an Australian citizen, I wish to express my strong disapproval of the construction of a plastics processing plant in this small town.
The company proposing this project is evidently attempting to take advantage of a mistake made by council (the council has since been disbanded) in zoning. The company has no experience with this technology. Currently, Greenpeace is running a global campaign against the use of plastics, and this includes recycling. From my own research I have found processing plastics into low grade plastics has little benefits to the environment and serves to continue the plastics paradigm which is damaging our planet and potentially affecting every living thing on it.
Building a plastics plant in a small town with poor road access and complete inexperience on the part of the proponent should be a huge red flag to NSW planning. It will not help the planet, it will not be a long term economic benefit to the town. It is likely to become a white elephant as technology and attitudes to plastics evolves away from the rudimentary heating and crushing of plastics to create lower grade, brittle plastic products with limited lifespan and utility. The process will release microplastics and toxins. The end product will crumble to dust and release more microplastics. The plant is based on bad science and any planning department that approves it will be on the wrong side of history. It is akin to building a cigarette factory in the 1980s. The science is clear. Microplastics are dangerous. Ignoring current science is no defence against future accusations of poor planning and feigned ignorance.

The population of Moss Vale does not want this plant. It has no social license. We are not an area to take poor decisions lying down. Just look at what became of Hume Coal.

I am concerned about the environmental impact of this proposal.
I am concerned about fine particles being released into the atmosphere.
I am concerned about water demand
I am concerned about groundwater pollution
I am concerned about impact on humans -it is very close to a residential community and to a number of schools
I am concerned about impact on wildlife and on farming
I am concerned about the unsuitability of the site with a huge number of trucks being required to deliver recyclable products over rural roads to reach it - why inland and not close to existing transport hubs?

This plastic recycling project is simply in the wrong location and flies against our State Planning Minister's advertised planning objectives for healthy (and happy) communities.
It is too close to the Moss Vale community and is in an area of natural beauty with public open spaces and watercourses that are part of local and Sydney Water catchment zones. The Chinese company Plasrefine has a bad environmental history in its homeland and it follows that it would care less for Australian livelihoods in the long run - economic including social capital ( destruction of environment)
This area is known for its local beauty and this proposal is a threat to tourism, agriculture and general health and well being. (Main reasons why people live, work and visit here). Plasrefine has not been transparent in its dealings with the public. There are industrial areas nearby with responsible buffer zones. These areas and even further afield would suit this kind of development. Accidents will happen with such high burning rates. People and safe living standards before unthoughtful and inconsiderate business proposals. Which I believe this is.

The Consent Authority needs to consider SEPP 33 - Hazardous Development
Considering the composition of the feed streams, the intended product varieties and quantities, as well as the resulting waste amounts, their specific attributes, and the methods for disposal are still unknown, SEPP 33 needs to be applied to this proposal,
with particular reference to the future use of the surrounding land - The future use surrounding the development - C4, Environmental Living, rural residential living, 2 immediate neighbouring properties have consent for residential subdivision.

STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING POLICY NO 33--HAZARDOUS AND OFFENSIVE DEVELOPMENT - REG 3
Definitions of "potentially hazardous industry" and "potentially offensive industry"
3 Definitions of "potentially hazardous industry" and "potentially offensive industry"
In this Policy--
"potentially hazardous industry" means a development for the purposes of any industry which, if the development were to operate without employing any measures (including, for example, isolation from existing or likely future development on other land) to reduce or minimise its impact in the locality or on the existing or likely future development on other land, would pose a significant risk in relation to the locality--

(a) to human health, life or property, or
(b) to the biophysical environment,
and includes a hazardous industry and a hazardous storage establishment.

"potentially offensive industry" means a development for the purposes of an industry which, if the development were to operate without employing any measures (including, for example, isolation from existing or likely future development on other land) to reduce or minimise its impact in the locality or on the existing or likely future development on other land, would emit a polluting discharge (including for example, noise) in a manner which would have a significant adverse impact in the locality or on the existing or likely future development on other land, and includes an offensive industry and an offensive storage establishment.

I vehemently oppose the proposal for the 'Plasrefine' development in Moss Vale!

The site is situated within the town boundary of Moss Vale and not 2.8km North of Moss Vale as stated and is completely unsuitable for this kind of development. It is within 50m of existing homes. Moss Vale and the Southern Highlands are tranquil, quiet locations, attracting residents who appreciate the rural ambience and wish to move away from cities and large-scale industrial sites. The proposed buildings (of which there are only concepts provided, no detailed architectural drawings) have an extremely large footprint, taking up 6 hectares out of 7.7 hectares. This is an overdevelopment of the land and leaves little room for any type of landscaping to screen the buildings, given the riparian zone restrictions. As a result, the scenic quality of the existing rural landscape will be forever lost. Not the Right Site.

The development jeopardises local road safety. The roads proposed for use whilst construction of Braddon Rd is underway are not suitable and the estimation of two months for the construction of Braddon Rd seems immensely unrealistic. The roads in the vicinity of the site are narrow, do not have paved footpaths for pedestrian traffic and are mostly without formed concrete guttering. Pedestrians use the roadway in these streets, namely Beaconsfield Rd and Lytton Rd. The traffic study fails to take account of the school bus routes. Bus stops in the Southern Highlands are mostly unmarked (unlike big cities), and there are several stops along Lytton Rd (not just at the intersection with Berrima Rd). Children use these streets to walk to their homes to and from the bus stops, with parents also dropping off/picking up in their vehicles. Lytton Rd and Beaconsfield Rd are direct walking/cycling routes to St Paul’s Primary in Garrett St, with parents with prams needing to walk along the road due to the lack of paved footpaths. There is a long day-care centre in Beaconsfield Rd, near the intersection with Bulwer Rd. The report mentions these roads would be used for site access, if there are delays to the building of Braddon Rd. The traffic report fails to take account of the school bus route using Lackey Road. The report mentions that construction vehicles will use Berrima Rd, Lytton Rd and Beaconsfield Rd, but does not make any mention of how these vehicles will arrive onto Berrima Rd Argyle Street Moss Vale (the main street) is already heavily congested during morning, lunchtime, and afternoon peaks, and there is no capacity for further traffic adding to this, in order to access either Lackey Rd or Waite St/Berrima Rd. The population of the area, and subsequently the traffic, have increased significantly due to Sydney migration during COVID – the traffic study was undertaken during COVID times when residents were working from home, and traffic flows would have been less than usual.

The proposed development will negatively impact water and air quality. The volume of increased traffic, both during construction and in operation of the facility, will have a direct input on our air quality, due to increased exhaust emissions. No assessment has been undertaken on light spill. There are inconsistencies within the report with regards to how much waste will be processed into the local sewage system. The amount of water required for the daily processes of the facility is unacceptable for a rural area often facing water restrictions in time of drought. Emission levels in the report are models only. No details have been provided on the proposed air filtering system and residual levels of plastics in the exhaust emission. The local waterways find their way into the Wingecaribee River, which flows to Warragamba Dam and Sydney’s drinking water.

The noise and vibration on the development site will have an adverse effect on the surrounding area and residents. The proposed 24hr operation over 7 days of the week, 44 weeks of the year, with the nearest resident only 150m away, is unfair and detrimental. Furthermore, it would be directly next door to a noise sensitive scientific research facility.

Opportunities for local employment are not quantified, nor the extent of untrained/specialised roles available. The forecast 140 fulltime jobs is projected to take “a number of years” to achieve. The construction itself would likely be undertaken by specialised builders from Sydney, and the opportunity for local employees is not quantified. No Social Impact Statement has been undertaken. The proposed benefit to the community from “increased business” is not quantifiable and is speculative at best.

The representatives of this development have not made serious attempts at community engagement. Early community meetings were highly dictated, with residents not being allowed to ask questions in a public forum. Further community meetings held during the exhibition stage were held in the town of Exeter, in the middle of a significant weather event. This had a direct impact of the ability of Moss Vale residents to attend, especially those who work full time.

The proposed site is Not the Right Site for this type of development, given the lack of easy access, and its immediate vicinity to residential housing. The proponents have shown scant regard for the local residents, community, and Southern Highlands as a whole, and appear to have done little research into our community and its values.

To whom it concerns
Please see attached a handwritten letter from Heather Kirkby living at 46 Argyle Street New Berrima.
Heather does not have access to email and a computer, and I have offered to assist Heather so that she may have her voice heard.
Heather opposes the proposed Plasrefine Plastic Recycling Facility at 74 -76 Beaconsfield Rd Moss Vale.
Thank you.

This plastics recycling facility is unsuitable for the increasingly residential nature of the Moss Vale area.
The negative effects on air quality, and therefore on the health of the expanding population, are at odds with the reasons for living here. There will also be a resulting cost increase in healthcare for the area.
For considerations of health and wellness for families, this facility needs to be re-located to a non residential area.

I am writing regarding the proposed Plasrefine Plastics Recycling Facility at 74-76 Beaconsfiend Road, Moss Vale, NSW, 2577 – SSD Application No – 9409987. I am making a submission in opposition to this facility as I live near the proposed site and I am very concerned about having such a toxic facility in our town.

To date, there hasn’t been enough detail provided regarding the short and long term effects on the local area - specifically the dust and dirt, pollution, noise, traffic and road safety, and any toxic residue in the air and water. There is no information on how this plant will affect our basic needs – air and water! There is no way such a facility should even be considered without the proper research being done first and “stick it on the outskirts of country town and no one will notice” just doesn’t fly!

I am concerned about the health of everyone living within the local area, the mental health effects, and our land values. The thought of plastic dust, chemicals, and fumes being spread over our lovely country down is quite distressing. I moved to the country to get away from these sorts of things. Has any research been done about the long term health impacts of this facility not only on older people but on our young people as well?

The amount of heavy vehicles that will be travelling through our local area will damage our already below par roads. There is no information about what will happen to the tonnes of toxic waste and how it will affect our air and water. Access to the site being 24 hours is going to bring with it a host of noise and air pollution issues let alone our local roads and intersections not being suitable for such a huge increase in heavy traffic.

There appears to be potential for irreversible damage to be done to the water that flows directly into the Wingecarribee River which is part of the Sydney water catchment. I have no idea who thought that polluting our local water supply along with the Sydney water catchment was OK. It is totally not a good idea. In fact, it is criminal. Long term poisoning of water is not legal! And let’s not even discuss the damage that will be done to the local flora and fauna!!

From what is proposed, the size of this facility is way too large for our country town. We are not an industrial town and there should not be facilities of this type and size even being considered for anywhere in the Southern Highlands. Our local planning does not allow for this type of heavy industry on the proposed site so why is it suddenly a good idea? It isn’t!!

We don’t have any permanently manned fire stations in the area. The local fire personnel are on call. We have the rural fire service however they are all volunteers and none of our stations are equipped with the necessary equipment in case of an emergency in this type of facility.

Of great concern is the recent information I came across that the operators admit to having no experience in plastics recycling. What sort of idiot allows a person with no experience to operate such a facility in their own backyard (yes, we may be a fair distance from you but it is still your backyard)? From what I’ve read, the Principal Technical Director of Plasrefine has a long history of environmental sanctions in China. China has a very low bar to start with so if the person hasn’t even met China’s low bar then why on earth would we want him running such a facility in our back yard? I’m sure you well aware of Mr Lyu’s background and history.

There is no way such a facility is legal, safe, or even a slightly good idea. I moved to the Southern Highlands due to the clean air, peace and quiet, and natural beauty. This facility goes against everything that everyone down here lives for. This facility will put toxins in our air, our soil, and will open up the potential for serious chemical accidents. There has been no definitive information provided about any of the chemicals and procedures that will be used. I’m guessing that’s because there is nothing good that can be said about any of them.

I normally don’t comment on most political things but this requires me to do so as it is an industrial monstrosity that should never be considered for our beautiful area. I have not ever made a political donation.

Yours in the hope that logic will prevail,
Moss Vale Resident

The Plasrefine project is not suitable for the Southern Highlands Innovation Precinct (SHIP) for reasons that have been stated in Wingecarribee Shire Council's submissions to the Department of Planning. The process and size of operation on the site is more suited to a heavy industry location than the Innovation Precinct which is focussed on technology and development (much like the origins of the North Ryde (Macquarie Park) precinct was in Sydney). A consultant has been appointed by Wingecarribee Shire Council to prepare a Master Plan for the SHIP, so the development of a major industrial project such as Plasrefine is premature without the existence of the Master Plan and its subsequent planning objectives and controls.
The community consultation conducted by GHD has been confused and misleading. The information on the plastics treatment process is inconclusive, consequently giving no confidence to the community that the process is safe. There is no evidence that the proponent has any knowledge, experience or capability of operating a similar plastics recycling factory elsewhere in the world, as distinct from the details provided for waste water treatment with which the proponent has apparently had some practical experience.
The potential impact and risk of process emissions and noise on nearby residents in Moss Vale, New Berrima and Burradoo is not acceptable, nor is the risk of fire in the facility and its likely spread which has been demonstrated in recent recycling facilities elsewhere in NSW. The bland statement The bland statement “in the event of a fire on-site, the building sprinkler system would automatically operate to smother the fire” is not sufficient to allay fears of the impact of fire on the nearby occupants and residents.
The traffic plan is not adequate, the truck route relies on an unmade road and road access changes that do not appear to have support from the Council or Transport for NSW, nor landowners' consent for the proposed road on their land.
For the above reasons I object to the Plasrefine Project and that the Department of Planning should strongly recommend to the Independent Planning Commission to REJECT the State Significant Development Application for the Plasrefine Project.
Peter A. Edwards
B. Arch, Dip.Admin.
Architect
Burradoo 2576
Secretary of
Friends of Bowral Inc.

As a life long resident of The Southern Highlands and concerned community member, I strongly object to the proposed construction of a massive 8-acre plastic recycling factory in our town, especially with its close proximity to
residential areas and the Australian Bioresources ( Garvan Institute ). I believe that this development will pose numerous
detrimental impacts on our community and the environment, as I have listed below.

Detrimental Impacts:

Proximity to Residents

This massive factory is located less than 200 metres from residences, threatening their quality of life and
affecting their peace and well-being for decades to come. It will also have significant detrimental financial impact on all surrounding properties . The haulage route has not taken into consideration any of the residents in new Berrima which the increase in heavy vehicle movements will hugely impact as the route uses Taylor Avenue. At no time during the consultation process has New Berrima been included by GHD despite having a population of approximately 1500 residents.

Proximity to the Australian Bio Resources ( Garvan Institute )

Locating the factory less only 30 metres from the ABR/Garvan facility, endangers the institute’s operations. It's ability to supply the medical research industry globally could face significant impact due to the noise , vibration and odour associated with the construction and operation of the proposed Plasrefine factory and very little actual investigation has been done by GHD in relation to the impacts on the mice housed at Australian BioResources. The Air Quality and Odour Appendix J advises "that employees or laboratory mice at Australian Bioresources would ordinarily spend the majority of time in controlled air conditioned environments, and would therefore not be exposed to external, elevated air pollutant concentrations "which is ludicrious and it will be their own responsibility to monitor the air conditions as "all persons potentially exposed to elevated background air quality levels, including employees of Australian Bioresources, would be made aware of degraded air quality through DPE’s ‘Current and
forecast air quality’ page, and would be able to further minimise their exposure to air pollution during these periods. ". It would also mean that Australian BioResources already approved expansion in a Westerly direction, would place them even closer, thereby jeopardising their entire operation.

Traffic

Heavy Haulage Vehicles -

The estimated 100 semi-trailer and truck movements each day (19 – 26 metres in length), will result in
intolerable traffic congestion, deteriorated road conditions which are still under repair following last year’s floods. During the entire 3 + year saga absolutely no consultation / information / community impact assessment has been done for the village of New Berrima which is directly impacted by the proposed haulage route along Taylor Avenue. GHD have been made aware of these impacts but have chosen to ignore this significant population due to either their own ignorance or fear of residential backlash. The trucks will severely compromise the safety of not only residents and commuters, but also tourists, that are crucial to the local economy. There is no plan offered by GHD as to exactly how Plasrefine will co-ordinate the volume and timing of these heavy haulage vehicles when they are travelling from as far afield as Melbourne and Canberra, in addition to Sydney and Wollongong. The haulage route that proposes crossing 3 level crossings within 3.5km on substandard roads presents numerous hazards to other road users including pedestrians and bike riders .

Light Vehicles –

With 240 light vehicle movements each day, the phenomenal increased traffic especially along our main street (Argyle Street , Moss Vale) and through New Berrima along the designated haulage route will disrupt the daily lives of residents and only serve to exacerbate already existing congestion issues. The safety of our elderly residents and children using these roads to access public transport and school buses is extremely concerning. The reality is, that they will follow wherever their GPS sends them and the most direct route from Wollongong is via the Illawarra Highway and down our main street (Argyle Street), to Lackey Road not the designated route entering from the west . As a community we have been advised by GHD that it will be up to Council to enforce any breaches and that once the factory is operational that Plasrefine will be seeking contract companies to delivery the waste plastics until a time that full operation in able to commision their own fleet of trucks . This again is another case of "no detail until after approval" which has been GHD's mode of opporation during this entire submission period.

Noise and Vibration

The constant noise and vibration generated by factory machinery operating on a 24/7 basis, will disrupt the peaceful and quiet surroundings of the residential areas. The construction phase of the project is of considerable concern to the personnel of Australian BioResources, where the mice are extremely susceptible to noise, vibration and pollution. According to GHD documents, construction will involve the use of 20 tonne excavators, bobcats, and most concerningly, compactors.

Toxic and Carcinogenic Emissions

The potential release of toxic and carcinogenic emissions poses a significant health risk to residents, especially considering its close proximity to homes and Australian BioResources. The technology proposed has never been used in Australia to date and GHD have stated in a report that a dust collector would “minimise the amount of particulate matter being released to the environment…. there would be a minor exceedance at the nearest commercial receptor (Australian Bioresources), if the background levels were unusually high, due to bushfires or external circumstances.” They further suggested that the closest residents could “minimise their time outdoors” This is an outrageous claim and NOT good enough!
They have further stated that they “…have been in discussions with various pollution control system providers but have not yet formally engaged a provider and therefore cannot provide manufacturer guarantees.” Again - too little detail until after approval which is akin to shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.

Fire Hazard

The factory's operations could potentially become a fire hazard due the the extremely large storage capacity for plastic materials both before and after processing. This puts the surrounding community at extreme risk. There have been over 70 fires in plastic recycling factories globally since 2019, including 13 in Australia since 2019. Our local fire brigade is not equipped to deal with a fire of the magnitude that would be created by this factory should such an event occur. Our closest first responders with the necessary specialist equipment are located at Campbelltown, Oran Park and Shell Harbour, meaning that the nearest response is
approximately 45 minutes away, IF they are ready and IF they have an available unit at the time. This is a
potentially catastrophic scenario for the entire Highlands community and the Australian BioResources facility in particular.

Conclusion

Considering the multitude of detrimental unacceptable impacts posed by this massive 15.5 metre high 8 acre plastic recycling factory, I urge the relevant authorities to reconsider this proposal. Protect the well-being and safety of our community and preserve the environment within the Sydney water catchment and the riparian zone by refusing this application. I believe that the potential risks and disruptions far outweigh any potential benefits, which I feel very strongly, have been considerably overstated by the proponent , especially since the Brightmark Facility in Parkes has been earmarked to be able to process ALL the plastic waste that Plasrefine has indicated they will be taking - this leads to another important consideration - where will the waste plastic be sourced from if the NSW / VIC plastic has already been accounted for ?

This detrimental development cannot be permitted to be approved on this specific site as it simply is not the right site for such a factory .
Yours sincerely,
Michele Druery

There is no need for this, its bad for the pollution and mind you theres people that live right next to where the project is being built.

I'm completely outraged at this proposal. I live almost directly in front of where the site is to be placed. My mum and I have severe asthma and have the right to live here without struggling to breathe and have our beautiful view being blocked by a disgusting outrageous "recycling facility". The proposer does not even know how to do this as he's never done it before, and thinks that our beautiful town is a suitable place to build bevause it isn't in Sydney. Well I have news for you, this place is going to be so harmful on the wildlife, the health of the people living here, the children and preschoolers who have schools 1km from the proposed site, and the people who want to use the roads surrounding to get exercise and walk their animals. I think this is an utterly disgraceful idea and your business should be moved elsewhere.

My Submission is attached.

See attached