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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 591 asked in the Legislative Council on 3 June 2009 by Hon Lynn Maclaren

Parliament: 38 Session: 1


REGIONAL RESOURCE RECOVERY CENTRE FIRE


591. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the Minister for Environment:

I refer to the fire that occurred in the Regional Resource Recovery Centre in Bannister Road on 1 June that rendered the largest recycling centre in Australia non-operational.

(1) Can the minister —

      (a) clarify whether it is the entire centre that is now non-operational or only the recycling component and what proportion of material usually directed to the centre will now be redirected to landfill and for how long; and

      (b) indicate whether insurance will cover the cost of the damage or whether ratepayers will have to cover this bill?

(2) I also seek information on the adequacy of emergency management plans in place at the time and why it was necessary for heavy earthmoving equipment to be used to gain access to the fire?

(3) The Southern Metropolitan Regional Council estimates that this centre has prevented the emission of more than 10 500 tonnes of greenhouse gases over the past month, but how many have been released as a result of the fire?

Hon DONNA FARAGHER replied:

I thank the member for some notice of the question.

(1) (a) The Department of Environment and Conservation has advised that only the recycling facility has been destroyed. The waste composting and green waste facilities were not affected by the fire and will continue to operate as usual. I am advised that the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council is negotiating with other materials recovery facilities to receive material that was processed by the facility that was destroyed. At about two o’clock this afternoon I had a meeting with the chairman of the Waste Authority and the department to seek information on progress, and they have been in regular contact with the SMRC in relation to this.

      (b) This is a matter for the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council, however the department understands that there is insurance coverage.
(2) This part of the question should be referred to the Minister for Emergency Services for a response. However, I can advise that the Department of Environment and Conservation was notified of the fire by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority at 1.32 am on 1 June. DEC attended the scene and conducted air monitoring to determine whether there were any threats to human health from emissions from the fire. DEC conducted regular patrols throughout the residential area. All air monitoring readings were below exposure guidelines that have been agreed by the department and the Department of Health and provided to FESA and the Department of Health. DEC was also part of the incident management group and provided hourly updates to FESA.

(3) No quantitative work has been undertaken on the greenhouse emission as a result of the fire.