Woodlawn Advanced Energy Recovery Centre

If this goes ahead it will be a disaster for the health of our region and its people. If this goes ahead, the government that allows it should be absolutely ashamed and disgusted with themselves.

I do not wish to be subjected to harmful pollution 24/7 and the stench of burning rubbish on top of the existing stench we already experience. If this is so safe, then burn it in Sydney. We want to enjoy our outdoors and fresh air, not tonnes of contaminated ash and chemicals from burning garbage.

As attached

I object to the Woodlawn WASTE BURNING INCINERATOR! people move to the country for fresh air, fresh water and a clean lifestyle for our selves, my children and my grandchildren and not to put up with sydney rubbish being bought down here to contaminate our environment and serenity. Small rural towns are taken advantage of by large corporations simply due to the population numbers being substantially lower than of cities. We have already had to fight for our right for fresh air due to the offensive smells we are forced to breathe in from the Woodlawn garbage, I have no doubt we will suffer further airborne contamination from a burning incinerator. I farm cattle and am concerned about the effect in my water and pastures also

I live in Braidwood and I strongly object to Veolias proposed incinerator being built in Tarago. I believe that the incinerator will have adverse impacts on air quality, negatively affect property values, affect the health and well-being of the community.

I live within close proximity to this project. I hear truck traffic noise from my garden situated beside my house. Air quality continues to be poor. I have a large family, the youngest being 6 years of age. Our right to enjoy peaceful, optimal air quality is disrupted. I live 600m above sea level. I am deeply concerned at the prospect of having further air quality affected by toxic pollutants carried through air space which at some point, will fall, most likely onto my land and predictably inhaled by me and my family and affect food crops and animals which I grow for our consumption. I am also concerned about the increase of train use and its associated noise which I also hear numerous times per day and the impact to our road from Tarago to the turn off, and the time it takes for these very slow moving container trucks to travel up the hill causing traffic delay.
Incinerators ought to be placed within a zero human population, zero food growing zone with a radius of 50-100km. Tarago and Lake Bathurst have become highly sought after areas for people (families), famous for a clean -pollution free life-style resulting in an increased population which has grown considerably within 15 years. Judging by my neighbours and the many 'No incinerator ' signs throughout the district, it is clear that there is great objection to further expansion. Please do not expand this project here. Choose a zero population site.

I object.

I strongly object to Veolia’s incinerator being built in Tarago. My family and I bought a of block of land in Tarago with plans to build our home in a quiet, country town for our family to grow. However, we would be forced to sell and find somewhere else to live as I am not willing to risk the health of my children by exposing them to toxic emissions from Veolia’s incinerator.

The environmental impact statement (EIS) was severely flawed and biased. Veolia choose to compare their data to a day severely effected by bushfires as a way of minimising the perceived impact of Veolia’s incinerator. I am also unconvinced of the minimal impact reported in the EIS given Veolia’s track record of poor management of their current facility. They have been unable to manage the odour and have failed to respond effectively to community complaints regarding the existing facility.

Tarago is a small historical town steeped in the farming history of the Goulburn region built by the same people who have sustained the region and beyond through food production and timber milling. Famers invest their whole lives into providing for others and have survived through droughts, floods, and financial hardships. This could be completely destroyed by crops and livestock being contaminated by toxic chemicals from an incinerator. Today there are multiple veterans and their families who call Tarago home, veterans give so much to their country and community. Ex and current defence member have suffered enough in service of their country should not have their homes and families destroyed by toxic chemicals.

Tarago is solely reliant on rainwater catchment and many families grow their own food including fruits, vegetables, and meat. Exposure to harmful toxins would increase from the multiple avenues of ingestion. This has not been well researched, and the full impact cannot be understood as most research is based solely on inhalation exposure.

I strongly object to Veolia’s incinerator being built in Tarago, it has absolutely no place near towns, water catchment and food production areas all of which can be found in close proximity to its planned location.

Please see my attached submission for full and complete reasons for my objection. I strongly oppose the the project. While there are many reasons, my main concern is the health impacts on the Tarago community, the Southern Tablelands and the ACT. Any risk to the health of people and livestock, whether it be direct or through consuming contaminated foods and water, is too much of a risk.

My name is Louise and I live in Wamboin NSW with my young family. I strongly object to Veolia’s proposed incinerator being built in Tarago
I am concerned about Veolia’s toxic industrial waste incinerator and the effects that it will have on the health of my young family and others around us.
The effects of this incinerator on the natural environment where we live, play and work will not only affect our area but the areas around us. The proposal for the incinerator to emit toxic air pollution 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year for 25 years will emit its pollution across the Canberra, Goulburn, Braidwood, Bungendore, Murrumbateman, Gunning, Marulan, Yass and more regions. This high yielding agricultural area will be poisioned.
I fear for the welfare of my family – what affects will that have on my young children who already have medical conditions
There are other more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways to deal with our ever growing waste.
Kind regards
Louise

Annex P: Human Health Impact Assessment. Recommend third party conduct an assessment on the outcomes of the HHRA. Negligible risks for inhalation and multi-pathway exposures over the life of the project seems too good to be true. A waste incinerator will release chemicals. Furthermore, why build this so close to a community?

Annex T: Traffic impact assessment. No material impacts expected during operations phase. Trucks continually use the section of road between Crisps Creek IMF and collector road, which has a considerable gradient. Should the incinerator proceed, an overtaking lane should be constructed on this part of Bungendore road.

My name is Bob Moore and I live in Mount Fairy. I strongly object to Veolia's proposed incinerator being built in Tarago. Let us start by calling this what it really is an "Incinerator". As a French company let Veolia build this on French soil and leave Australia's natural wonder as unpolluted as possible.
How can this proposal be supported by any government that is seeking to drastically reduce our nation's emission levels given the current level of global warming and the associated extreme weather events that it causes across the globe.
Why does Veolia think it is appropriate to process waste from Sydney and Canberra in a rural environment where any pollution will enter the food chain via fruit, vegetables, animals and products raised or produced in the area and consumed and exported.
The foregoing are examples of how this incinerator will affect our community and anyone who consumes items produced in the area will. Surely the equation is a simple one "People before Profit" in light of the adverse affect on the environment, the health of the local residents and anyone consuming food products generated in the surrounding area.
This proposal is absolutely ridiculous in any area and even more so in a rural community where the residents do not have the option of properly treated and filtered town water, but rather rely on rainwater collected from their roof as their only supply for drinking, cooking and all other domestic uses. Obviously, any water collected from the roof would no longer be potable given the airborne particles that would be generated by Veolia's incinerator.
The current state of the roads in the area is all the proof needed that these same roads cannot support any increase in heavy vehicle traffic, that this incinerator would generate at the very least between Canberra and the site just outside Tarago and also likely from Sydney and wherever else Veolia can win contracts to increase its wealth and scope of operations.
If we can no longer drink rainwater and have primary production as part of any rural or domestic holding in the area, then anyone living in the area should be compensated or have their properties purchased by Veolia for their pre-Incinerator value as the Incinerator is guaranteed to reduce the value of our properties.
Why when we are committing to moving away from coal fueled power stations to reduce emissions towards our national target are we even considering Veolia's garbage Incinerator.

SAY NO READ THE REASONS ATTACHED
WASTE OF MONEY, TIME AND EFFORT

My name is Benjamin Tarrant-Shorten and I live in Mount Fairy. I strongly object to Veolia’s proposed incinerator being built in Tarago.

I am a student at Tarago and I object to living with additional toxic pollution at my school every day. I can smell the Veolia site every day. We must keep our windows closed every day. We cannot drink from the bubbler due to water pollution. Some days we cannot play outside because it stinks.

Veolia give the money to my school so it can make more pollution and it isn’t fair. Burning rubbish is old school and not smart. Not a green solution for this problem. Veolia should go pollute somewhere else. Do not pollute my community.

Veolia fix your problem somewhere else not here you have done enough damage already. We hate you Veolia.

There are many reasons for my objection, such as:
Not green solution
Too many speeding trucks
Stinky air
No more drinking water
Soil pollution

My name is Nicole Shorten and I live in Mount Fairy. I strongly object to Veolia’s proposed incinerator being built in Tarago.

I believe that Veolia’s toxic industrial waste incinerator will cause serious pollution, toxic air streams and damage to our water tables and farming land.
Veolia is already responsible for serious pollution to the air we breathe due to the toxic smells that come from the waste management they do nothing to control the pollution already being spread throughout the local community.
They have caused a massive amount of trucks to travel our community creating extremely dangerous potholes and road damage.
Veolia have done nothing to mitigate the health concerns that have been raised continuously for our children who go to school in Tarago and are subjected to the smells from the Veolia site. The children cannot even drink town water due to the pollution.
There are many reasons for my objection, such as:
Archaic method of reducing waste, better technology available
Increased Traffic
Road Damage
Smell, already stinks do not need to add to problem
Toxic Air Pollution
Property values decreasing
Water table pollution
Water tank pollution due to incinerator dirt and dust
No more drinking water
Soil pollution

As once a resident of Minchinbury and the Sydney Basin. I fought long and hard to make local residents and people aware of the Incinerator Complex 800 metres being built from my home at the time.
The mistruth and deception that went on was abysmal.
I had a heart attach through worry and concern.
The EPA, Western Sydney Health and the Science submitted and obtained was proof that any incineration would result in toxic particles going into the air and surrounding schools, waterways, food gardens and the like.
There is no need in this day an age to burn rubbish. The Sydney Basin has a cycle of air that rotates between the ocean and the Blue Mountains. If that cycle breeze fails or stall for the day the build up of pollution in the air is massive.
I strongly oppose any type of Incinerator and Tarago at Woodlawn is no different.
With Farm Lands River Systems that Feed Water Supply. Homes Villages and Businesses and Town there is no stopping this beast once started. I say again I strongly oppose and no to the Incinerators.
Phil

I have been a Tarago local resident since 1989. We moved there because of the country life and clean air. We have been subjected to a filthy stench from Veoila for roughly twenty years. My children have grown up not knowing what country air should smell like. It is disgusting, Veolia tries to mask the smell with perfume but it makes you vomit when walking outside in the morning or the evening. They promised us there would be no odour, no heavy truck traffic, but they have broken every promise. I have had three broken windscreens this year alone from the Waste truck drivers travelling on the Bungendore - Tarago Road. The trucks have ripped the road to pieces and pass cars at full speed not caring about rocks and gravels being thrown up into peoples windscreens. They simply do not slow down and do not care. I believe they are supposed to cap the garbage in the pit with a clay layer every night, but we know from the clay supplier that they stopped doing this to save money. Tarago has no town water supply and no town septic, so we are reliant on rain water from our roofs for our domestic water. If Veolia starts burning plastics the toxic ash and heavy metal dust will end up on our roofs and therefore in our water tanks contaminating our children causing serious sickness. Veolia has lied, covered up, hidden problems and generally not cared about this disgusting stink they created. If it is going to be so safe according to Veolia then BURN SYDNEY's garbage in SYDNEY. Tarago does not even have footpaths on the southern side of town, but we are getting increasing numbers of Veolia Waste trucks coming through town and our children are riding there bikes and scooters on the road, how long till there is a fatality. WE ARE SICK OFF VEOLIA AND THEIR STENCH, WE WOULD PREFER IF VEOLIA LEFT ALTOGETHER NOT EXPAND THERE TOXIC BUSINESS AND POISONING OUR FAMILIES. BURN SYDNEY's GARBAGE IN SYDNEY AND STOP DESTROYING OUR LITTLE TOWN.

My name is Anthony Reynolds and I object to the Woodlawn Advanced Energy Recovery Centre. My son is the 5th generation of our family to run our farm in the Lake Bathurst area and the majority of our land is located approximately 5kms from the proposed incinerator. We produce beef, lamb, wheat and canola and I believe such close proximity of this food production to toxic fumes will not only risk the health of local residents but those all over the country that may consume our food products. I should also add that water run off from our farm is in the Sydney water catchment, again, potentially have far reaching negative affects if contaminated with toxic residue. Veolia will have a lot of information arguing that this is not the case but according to a review conducted by the Australian National University Medical School, the Public Health Association of Australia, and the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australia in 2019 and published in the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health “there is insufficient evidence to conclude that any incinerator is safe” and “contamination of food and ingestion of pollutants is a significant risk for both nearby and distant residents.”
My next point is a simple one, the incinerator is simply not necessary. Veolia have stated that they have no intention of increasing current garbage volumes to the facility but rather intend to redirect a third of current volumes to the incinerator. The current landfill has another 25 years operational life which could well be extended with the implementation of the NSW Government’s circular economy policies reducing residual waste. The incinerator is being proposed for a 25 year operational life. Why put at risk the health of so many when it is not increasing capacity? The current landfill already produces energy through its bio reactor so why build an incinerator unless you actually do intend on increasing capacity? That brings me to my final point, Veolia is untrustworthy.
Veolia have had multiple breaches of their licence agreement at the current Tarago facility. They are all accessible on the EPA website so I won’t list them here. Another example of their mismanagement is the EPA order of the closure of their Horsley Park Waste facility due to evidence of asbestos fails. Trust would be a very important component of the social licence required to operate a waste management facility.
Please do not allow this toxic incinerator to be built. For all our sakes.

Thankyou
Anthony Reynolds

My name is Kevin Pluess and I live in Braidwood. I strongly object to Veolia’s proposed incinerator being built in Tarago.

I believe the incineration of waste is not a sustainable solution for getting rid of waste and has a negative effect on health and the environment on a very large area around the proposed incinerator.

If an incinerator is not deemed to be a good idea around Sydney where most of the waste comes from how can it be expected that it be acceptable anywhere.

I urge you to not allow this to ahead in this area or anywhere where it will affect the health and wellbeing of anyone.

I live in Goulburn and work 15km from Tarago. I strongly object to Veolia’s proposed incinerator being built in Tarago.

I believe that Veolia’s toxic industrial waste incinerator will cause pollution toxic to humans and livestock in the area for our generation and future generations.

There are many reasons for my objection, such as:

• The proposal will create 2.2million tonnes of toxic waste ash, including 380,000 tonnes of air pollution control residue (fly ash) which is classified as hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). All of this will be dumped on site, risking further contamination of soil and groundwater as well as the Sydney water catchment.
Veolia’s track record of polluting local groundwater (recognised by EPA prevention notice in October 2022) proves they cannot be trusted to safely manage such toxic outputs.

• This incinerator will impact the health of our children, grandchildren and their grandchildren through the accumulation of forever chemicals in the surrounding environment. It is an intergenerational burden and legacy which cannot be allowed to go ahead.

• In July 2018, the Eastern Creek waste incinerator in Sydney was rejected by the NSW Independent Planning Commission as not being in the public interest. The reasons included concerns about safety, insufficient evidence that the pollution control technologies would be capable of managing emissions, concern about the relationship between air quality impacts and water quality impacts, the possibility of adverse environmental outcomes, and concern about site suitability and human health impacts. Since then, the NSW Government has banned toxic waste incinerators in Sydney due to the risk to human health. The risks have not changed since that decision back in 2018 – this project must also be rejected - If they aren’t safe for Sydney then they aren’t safe for Tarago.

Please stop the incinerator from going ahead.

Thanks