A public meeting will be held for the proposed expansion of the Suez recycling facility in West Queanbeyan.
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Residents in the area are appalled at the thought of having waste trucks coming and going 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are concerned about the impact of noise, and of odour from the collection of putrescible waste - "contaminated" recycling which can contain food.
Suez Environmental, formerly SITA, who will own the new facility, has agreed to host a public meeting to address the public backlash. In a presentation to Queanbeyan City Council and a packed-full public chamber on Wednesday night, Suez representative Jason Steward said testing had been carried out to measure the impact, and it would be negligible to residents.
Councillor Peter Bray sought clarification on the issue asking if the facility was not already operating, how were the measurements carried out.
The response was the site would be regulated by an EPA license and the testing was based on 20-30 years of modelling.
"We want to be good neighbours, start off on the right foot and continue for 20 years of occupation," Mr Steward said.
Councillor Sue Whelan admitted she lived close by to the site and she held concerns about the expansion.
She said because the truck movements were currently going into the site from Gilmore Road, and the plan was to move those trucks to enter through Bowen Place, that was where a big problem lay.
"That's why you're having complaints," she said, because the trucks would be coming closer to residents.Mr Steward agreed to host a public presentation, with letters to be sent to residents and notices to be provided to the public when a date was agreed on.
