The 22nd of February 2019 was an auspicious date for Ipswich residents as the administrator of the Ipswich City Council rejected the application of a waste disposal company for a higher landfill pile at Swanbank site.
Bio-Recycle Australia Pty Ltd has a landfill site for its non-biodegradable wastes at its Memorial Drive, Swanbank facility. The existing approval allows for the disposal of items such as construction and demolition wastes, and clean fill, and may contain limited amounts of acid sulphate soils, asbestos contaminated soil, asbestos sheeting, and drill mud.
In January 2019, Bio-Recycle sought to increase the landfill height by 27 metres, but this was rejected by the Council. It is now the subject of an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court.
In the meantime, the waste disposal company applied for a 5-metre extension of landfill height. This would have put the current mound above its normal ground level had it been approved.
A council spokesman said, “This increase in landfill height is likely to have visual impacts, particularly with regard to future residential observers, including those likely to be living within residential high density built forms.”
“No consideration has been given to these visual impacts of the landfill during the operational or establishment phase.
“The applicant has also failed to demonstrate that there is a need to extend the life of the existing facility by increasing the landfill height from the approved level,” the spokesman added.
With a city labelled as the Dumping Capital of Queensland, Ipswich residents have ceaselessly rallied for years now against Ipswich becoming the dumping ground for interstate rubbish. The proliferation of dumps have resulted in health, hygiene, pollution, and environmental issues that are affecting the residents’ quality of life.
The Council’s rejection of Bio-Recycle’s bid to bring in more trash is an indication that people’s voices still matter. Residents are grateful that ICC has taken a positive step towards their side.
Meanwhile, the residents’ battle against dust, noise, and stinking odour problems continues.