An effort to recycle nine million tyres at Stawell’s huge rubber stockpile has been hindered by unreasonable demands from the authorities, Tyre Yard chief executive Dr Matthew Starr claimed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In an open letter to Stawell residents, Used Tyre Recycling Corporation claimed they had attempted everything possible to get a recycling plant built and operational, but have been hindered throughout the entire period.
Dr Starr said the company was still months off being able to submit a Northern Grampians Shire Council building permit to build the recycling plant after they had spent $2 million in application fees.
“We have spent $2 million cash so far in application fees, imposed site works to meet new regulations and red tape and are still months off being able to submit a council building permit to build the recycling plant,” he said.
Dr Starr also said the Victorian Government provided a $20-50,000 grant to a control group in 2015 comprising the council, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, EPA, CFA and GWM Water to review the tyre dump.
“This group continues to meet monthly, yet has never invited UTRC to a meeting or advised us of meeting outcomes,” Dr Starr said.
“The control group and the state government have said they are doing everything to support UTRC, yet the state government is actually writing to citizens stating that UTRC is not delivering from its end,” Dr Starr said.
Northern Grampians Shire chief executive Michael Bailey said council had liaised with Dr Starr and his team throughout the process and continued to assist UTRC in every way possible.
“Council has never had ownership or control of the tyre stockpile which has limited the action we have been able to take,” he said.
“Council initiated the project control group (PCG) and successfully applied for funding to investigate ways to rectify the issue.
“Because of the significant investment Dr Starr has made in order to reduce the tyre pile including segregation, shredding and fire protection, the PCG has not met since June 2015.”
In the open letter to Stawell residents Dr Starr said UTRC was being “crushed and smothered” by unnecessary red tape, unfair regulations, unconscionable fees and a lack of good sense and decency.
Dr Starr claimed DELWP ordered UTRC to pay $125,000 to plant trees and replace those that would be uprooted by the recycling plant development. “This requirement was made of UTRC nine months ago, yet DELWP had no land it could identify for planting in the Wimmera region for more than six months,” he said.
DELWP Grampians regional director Christine Ferguson said it was neither the department’s role or responsibility to provide an offset nor identify a landowner willing to provide the offset.
“UTRC commenced discussions in December 2015 about the removal of an area of approximately three hectares of native vegetation including trees, shrubs and grasses, on the land adjacent to the stockpile,” she said.
”The contract for the native vegetation offsets was a matter for UTRC and its broker to negotiate.
“UTRC did not apply to council for a planning permit to remove native vegetation from the site until August 2016.”
Ms Ferguson said the intent of native vegetation offsets was to compensate for loss of biodiversity value associated with the removal of native vegetation.
“Offsets are about providing long-term protection and enhancement of Victoria's biodiversity,” she said.
In the letter Dr Starr also said EPA guidelines required UTRC to split the tyres into 12 separate piles, which would cost $200,000 in labour and equipment.
“We had to purchase a shredder for $250,000 and have purchased 15 containers which were $2500 each that are stored on the block next door,” he said.
“We have been shredding for months and we are expected to keep shredding and buying more containers even though we will run out of space to store them and the block will be so full of containers, we will have no room left to actually build our recycling plant.”
Victoria EPA chief executive Nial Finegan said the cost was a one per cent fee applied to all applications, no matter the company size and was required under regulations.
“Separating the tyres is essential to minimise the fire risk and is the cost of doing business,” he said.
“He took that on knowing the risks associated and we’ve worked with him and council and the authority to improve the risk.”
Stawell Times-News could not reach GWM Water and the State Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio for comment.
