After months of persistent engagement, Member for Davidson Jonathan O’Dea is more optimistic that the owner of Belrose landfill, WSN Environmental Solutions, is finally addressing the concerns of the community.
Last week Mr O’Dea met with Chief Executive Officer of WSN, Ken Kanofski, and both attended a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) this week, with numerous local residents and Warringah Council represented.
In November 2001, WSN set the landfill closure date at January 2005. In 2004, WSN signed an agreement to the community that would see the site closed in 2009. By 2008, the closure date had been pushed back to mid-2010.
Earlier this year WSN unilaterally released themselves from their 2004 agreement, stating their intention to dump an extra 180,000 tonnes of garbage on the Belrose landfill, pushing the closure date back to 2013 or beyond.
President of the Belrose Rural Community Association, Mary Armstrong said, “The community is pleased that WSN has acknowledged its failure to fulfill previous commitments and that its CEO has apologised.”
Mr O’Dea asserted, “What WSN needs is to restore trust and credibility. The past decade is littered with broken promises and a lack of respect for the local community.
“WSN’s new proposed agreement promises the elected Warringah Council’s consent to any changes, a safeguard this community has never had. It requires closure of the Belrose landfill site by 11 November, 2014,” Mr O’Dea said.
“The CAC continues to seek assurances over rehabilitation and future use of the site once the tip is full. WSN has agreed to collaborate with the Committee to plan returning part of the site for recreational use within the next five years, possibly including mountain bike use.
“The local residents, schools and community groups welcome greater certainty regarding what will be delivered. I will continue to work with the local community, council and WSN to deliver a more positive outcome for our local and wider community,” Mr O’Dea concluded.
