Phone: (03) 5135 4444
October, 2020
photograph hayley mills
EGG-CELENT RESULT PAGE 3
Hazelwood North farmer Steven Darling was relieved after Latrobe City Council’s decision last month to vote against the proposed lead smelter plant, set to be built opposite his beef and dairy property on Tramway Road.
FARMER’S RELIEF objection against plans for company Chunxing to process 50,000 tonnes of lead acid batteries into 28,000 tonnes of refined lead per year. Latrobe City received more than 120 community submissions, with many concerned about the potential for lead contamination on surrounding properties, farmland and a nearby school. However, the Environment Protection Authority granted the
proposal a Works Approval after undertaking rigorous environmental and human risks assessments. The $50 million development slated for Zone 2 industrial land would provide 68 jobs and put $30 million back into the local economy. Councillors rejected the proposal 6-3 last month after hearing overwhelming community objection against the development.
INSIDE
BOMBERS VOTE TO LEAVE SPORT
Continued on page 6
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A HAZELWOOD North cattle farmer is breathing a sigh of relief after Latrobe City knocked back a controversial plan to build a used acid lead battery recycling plant right opposite his property. Steven Darling has owned the beef and dairy property on Tramway Road for the past 30 years and feared the any lead residue from the proposed
development would risk the quality of his produce. “I never really envisioned in my mind that a lead smelter could be build next to my farm. I didn’t want to take the chance, I wanted to nip it in the bud before it happened,” Mr Darling said. “There are no safe levels of lead. Lead is the most toxic metal known to man.” Mr Darling was part of a groundswell of broader community
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By MICHELLE SLATER
BE FIRE READY FEATURE