Call for action overloose waste at tip

Residents living near the Dunsborough Waste Facility and Weighbridge have urged the City to “clean up your act”, criticising how the tip is operated due to waste blown onto private properties surrounding the site.

The tip currently has no plans for a recycling plant to be established, with an existing recycling contractor in Perth taking all recyclable plastics.

However, Vidler Road resident Greg Willis said several pieces of plastic blew into his and other properties every day.

“Who’s going to take responsibility for this mess?” he said.

“I see a lot of inaction. I want something to happen, whether it’s more effort on clean-up surrounding the tip or a plan to recycle the plastics here.”

Despite his concerns, City of Busselton director of engineering and works services Oliver Darby said the City regularly undertook clean-ups to pick up any fly-away waste.

“Every precaution is taken to stop any waste material blowing into adjacent areas, with a fence all around the site boundary,” Mr Darby said.

“The site is operated in accordance with licence conditions and the waste is covered daily.

“Transition into the new cell will have been completed by April or May this year, per licence conditions,” Mr Darby said.

He said the City was investigating opportunities to generate energy from waste to reduce the volume of material going into landfill.

Mr Willis claims in 2004 the Busselton City Council wrote to him suggesting a closure of the tip in 2016.

Mr Darby said there was never a plan to close the site, which had a life expectancy of 25 years.

“The waste facility at Vidler Road was the first fully lined waste cell to be developed in the South West operated by a local government authority, it’s an excellent facility that provides a valuable service to the community,” he said.

The City of Busselton issues fines of $400 for drivers who do not cover their loads.