A proposal for an Organics Transfer Station (OTS) in Lidcombe to help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill has left locals in a stink.
If given the green light, 80,000 tonnes of domestic and food organic and garden organic (FOGO) waste is expected to pass through the $5 million-plus facility per year.
But concerns over odour and traffic has seen some locals call for the proposal to be rejected.
Local resident and EcoTransit member Roydon Ng believes that if the facility is approved, it will have a negative impact on Lidcombe residents and increase pressure on the road network.
“All this back and forth about how its organic waste and how not smelly it is, it’s still waste and it’s still food at the end of the day,” he said.
“The Lidcombe town centre is not particularly wide at the streets, there’s already congestion, no one’s going to feel particularly comfortable standing, waiting to cross the street when massive trucks are queuing up at the lights.”
The proposed facility is expected to see around 118 truck movements per day, with the vehicles to be up to 20 metres in length.
Another key concern for Ng is active transport link, the Pippita Rail Trail, which he said is being developed “right around the corner” from the proposed OTS.
“The proponent has paid completely no attention to the active transport corridor that’s being designed by Cumberland Council, the Pippita Rail Trail,” he added.
“For Pippita Rail Trail to achieve maximum utilisation, the safety of pedestrians and cyclists must be put at the forefront.
“It’s not going to be safe, parents are going to be apprehensive about having their children using the area… it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Located at 109a Church Street, the OTS would operate 6am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 6pm on Saturday.
The development would assist New South Wales in achieving high rates of recycling and landfill diversion from councils and businesses.
A report for the proposal said the effects of traffic, dust, odour, noise and visual amenity would be minimal and “not likely” to have any impact on the surrounding population.
“An increase in odour would occur from the southwest to the northern region of the site. It is noted however that the odour levels predicted would remain below the relevant criteria,” the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) said.
“The number of generated traffic movements are minimal and well within the road carrying capacity of the site access road and would not represent an adverse impact upon the operation of the surrounding road network.”
But Ng believes that claim is baseless, saying “they haven’t done their homework” and vowing to fight the proposal.
“The increased heavy vehicle movements will be a discouragement for the use of active transport in Lidcombe,” he said.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other projects.