EMRC is at it again. This time they've not only moved the goal posts, they've changed stadiums. Two months after the public submission period ended for the Environmental Report on the location for the proposed Resource Recovery Facility, they have announced (in the minutes of their Oct. 3 Red Hill Community Liason Meeting), that they have an option to buy Boral's old quarry a kilometre from the original site with the intention to relocate the site there. They intend to do this without revising the Environmental Report, irregardless that it is different ground, different geology, different wind patterns, different flora and fauna, different neighbours, and requires a new truck entrance/exit onto already hazardous Toodyay Rd. And under a technicality (Section 45C) the Environment Minister can do this with a signature.

If this upsets you, you can contact the EPA:  'submissions@epa.wa.gov.au', the Environment Minister Bill Marmion, and your local member,

Save Perth Hills is in favour of the Anaerobic Digestion Option, but opposed to the Gasification option.
 
We have participated in the consultation process, including Red Hill Alliance meetings, EMRC Council meetings and EMRC seminar workshops.   We have also done research on our own. We feel we have a good understanding on the issues, which we will not rehash in this submission.

We support Anaerobic Digestion. It is the simplest, best, cheapest solution.  It will eliminate 70% of the gross tonnage of input waste with no environmental impact.  It will produce energy and fertilizer. It is safe, proven technology with little
liability.

Gasification involves burning waste, which produces PCB’s Dioxins, heavy metals, etc. Though the proposed plant will have a filtration system, no filtration system can work at 100% efficiency, 100% of the time.   Even if it did, tonnes
of concentrated filtrated toxic solids would go into the RED Hill landfill which is already leaking. This landfill is located upstream of the Swan Valley agricultural area and the Swan River.

If the filtration system on the exhaust stack doesn’t work at 100% efficiency 100% of the time, the toxins that get by will be spread by the daily morning easterly winds over the metro area, then in the afternoon, will be spread back toward the hills by the afternoon westerlies. Hundreds of thousands of residents will be affected. 
 
If this scheme fails to operate at environmental standards, as many have worldwide, the results will be a public health disaster. And when the plant is shut down, it will create a financial disaster for the cities and shires that will have to cover the cost.  Though financial issues aren’t part of the EPA’s concern, what will be a concern is that the waste processing capability of a bankrupt EMRC will be compromised.

Save Perth Hills feel that the 20% additional tonnage that would be processed by building a gasification systeinstead of an Anaerobic Digestion system is not worth the risk.

Should we support Incineration in the East Metro Region?
Is it renewable Energy?
Is our health at risk?
Community Info Session, Saturday 15th September, 2-5 pm,
Mechanics Institute, Meadow St., Guildford.
EMRC Resource Recovery Facility public submission period ends 17th Sept.
Hear a public interest perspective and get help making a submission.
Brought to you by the Alliance for a Clean Envionment Inc.

The EMRC has not yet determined the final technology that will be used to process the waste in the Resource Recover Facility, but the choice has been reduced to two options – anaerobic digestion and gasification. 

Anaerobic digestion is airless, odourless composting.  This is a clean, proven process.  Gasification is incineration, which could allow airborne pollutants into the atmosphere if the filtration system isn’t 100% effective, and if it is, the concentrated fly ash and bottom ash filtrate can contaminate the ground water through leaks in the land fill.

Community Info sessions will be held at: 
 
Gidgegannup Agricultural Hall, Toodyay Road (and cnr Old Toodyay Rd)
Monday, 13 August 2012 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm

Shire of Mundaring Civic Centre, 7000 Great Eastern Highway,Mundaring
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm

 Bookings required:
  Please RSVP by Wednesday, 8 August 2012 by calling (08) 9424 2222 or email resourcerecovery@emrc.org.au

      The EMRC is still pushing approval to incinerate our household and commercial rubbish at their Red Hill site on Toodyay Rd. It is Approval by Stealth, the 4 hot technologies have been narrowed down to one: Gasification; plus Anaerobic Composting. Everytime we protest incineration, they say 'but we haven't chosen yet, we still might choose composting'. Meanwhile, the approval process advances. 
    Composting is good, turning green waste--which makes up 70% of the landfill intake--into fertilizer, using an odorless method.
      Gasification, on the other hand, means an incinerator will burn the waste, turning it into methane gas which would be used to generate electricity--which is a good thing--but no filtration system is 100% effective, which means some pollutants will fall on our neighbourhoods.  The by-products which escape, dioxin and other contaminants, will go airborne, pushed by morning easterlies over the city, and by afternoon westerly’s back to the hills.