A CONTROVERSIAL southern suburbs waste processing plant has been gutted by fire just days after submitting a $2 million odour prevention plan to the Department of Environment and Conservation.
A CONTROVERSIAL southern suburbs waste processing plant has been gutted by fire just days after submitting a $2 million odour prevention plan to the Department of Environment and Conservation.
Damage to the plant will reduce Perth's recycling capacity by 40 per cent.
However, the fire did not damage the composting and green waste plants at the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council's Canning Vale facility.
SMRC chief executive Stuart McCall said up to 100 sea containers of recyclable materials would have to be diverted to landfill each week because of the fire.
Negotiations with the owner of a recently decommissioned recycling plant within the City of Cockburn are under way.
SMRC chairman Doug Thompson said there would be no interruption to rubbish pick-ups as a result of the fire.
But Member for Riverton Mike Nahan said the whole facility was losing money and needed to be placed in a different location, preferably outside the metropolitan area.
Last week, Dr Nahan called for Mr Thompson and Mr McCall to resign after a study revealed composting was the cause of high levels of noxious odours emanating from the plant.
Dr Nahan alleged the SMRC's operation at Canning Vale has been polluting for more than six years.
The Bannister Road plant is subject to an environmental protection notice and its green waste facilities have been closed since last May.
In response to the notice, the SMRC submitted a $2 million odour prevention plan, which consisted of a range of engineering enhancements and the introduction of a state-of-the-art alert system at the composting plant.
Meanwhile, WA Local Government Association president Bill Mitchell said an "exorbitant" increase in landfill levies would not encourage consumers to recycle.
He said the state government's 300 per cent increase in landfill levies would result in increased illegal dumping of waste in Perth's parks and reserves.
"Net of any fire and capacity issues with recycling in the metro area, the cost of recycling is very high and to add a disincentive like this onto landfill isn't going to do anything for recycling," he said.
Also, the DEC has named the pesticide Fenthion as the cause of a mass birds death incident at a Henderson landfill site operated by the City of Cockburn.
More than 200 birds including ibis, silver gulls, ravens, and a pelican have been found dead within a one-kilometre radius of the tip.
The investigation is continuing.
