Waste plant protest

Protestors have called on City of Rockingham officials to put a stop to plans for a multimillion-dollar waste-to-energy plant.

Rockingham and Kwinana residents gathered at Patterson Road on Friday after the Environmental Protection Authority granted conditional approval for a three-burner gasification plant at the city’s industrial strip.

A second $380 million waste-to-energy facility is due to begin operation in Kwinana in 2017.

Shoalwater resident James Mumme said he hoped Rockingham councillors would block New Energy’s $160 million proposal.

He said he planned to collect signatures for a petition to be presented to State Parliament.

“New Energy Corp and the EPA both admit up to 22 pollutants will be emitted from the plant, including cancer-causing dioxins, even when the plant is working perfectly,” he said.

“We believe residents in East Rockingham, Hillman, Cooloongup, Leda, Calista and Medina will receive polluted air, depending on the wind directions.”

Medina resident Keith Sweetman said research into the long-term effects on public health was incomplete and worried the region would become a “dumping ground”.

“Would the owners of this company be happy to live next door to this?” he said.

“There is no question they will begin importing waste from elsewhere.”

New Energy general manager Jason Pugh said the company proposed to provide real-time, publicly available emissions data using a continuous emissions monitoring system.

“This will be the first time this level of emissions reporting will be used in WA,” he said.

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels said the council would make a recommendation to the Metro South West Joint Development Assessment Panel, which will give final approval, based on the proposal’s planning merit.

Public appeals are open until June 30.