Dardanup locals 'gutted' over approval of toxic PFAS disposal at local tip
Residents of a small community in Western Australia's South West have been left outraged by a state government decision to green-light the disposal of toxic chemicals at their local rubbish tip.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has approved a licence amendment for the Cleanaway-owned rubbish facility at Crooked Brook on the outskirts of Dardanup, 180 kilometres south of Perth.
The change will allow for waste contaminated with PFAS, and other dangerous chemicals, to be buried at the landfill.
PFAS synthetic chemicals are found in low levels across much of Australia, as they have been used for more than 50 years in common residential and industrial items.
They are considered "forever" chemicals, as they are highly persistent in the environment and take a long time to break down, and some varieties
Dardanup Environmental Action Group (DEAG) spokesperson Jill Cross said she was "angry, disheartened and gutted" by the decision, after 1,700 locals signed a petition against the proposal.
Dardanup woman Jill Cross says she is "gutted" over DWER's decision.
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ABC South West WA / Georgia Loney
)
She said residents were concerned the waste site, which was
"It's not just groundwater [which is a concern], but also dust from that site," Ms Cross said.
"Everyone is relying on those liners to make sure the aquifer is protected … and at some stage they will fail.
"
Once you've got PFAS you've got it forever.
"
Shire opposed to PFAS decision
Dardanup Shire President Tyrrell Gardiner said the potential for contamination was also front of mind for the council.
Cr Gardiner said the council had objected to the change on several grounds, including the potential for contaminated dust and the life span of the landfill's liners.
"Hopefully it doesn't happen at all, but it is likely to happen in the long-term future," he said.
"We've got to support our community on this one.
"It's just another approval to that site, which adds to the concerns of the people who live around it."
Mr Gardiner said decisions to expand operations at the site had been subject to state government discretion since its construction in the 1990s.
"As a local government authority, we are absolutely hamstrung in trying to get some control," he said.
A cleanaway truck driving through the Dardanup townsite.
(
ABC News: Kate Stephens
)
Regulators content with containment
The DWER approval referenced an independent investigation in 2021 that indicated the landfill was not located on a vulnerable groundwater system.
The report also found containment measures were sufficient to manage the risks associated with PFAS-contaminated waste.
Photo shows
Close-up of a restaurant waiter handing over food packets to a woman customer.
PFAS chemicals are used in a vast number of waterproof, non-stick and stain-resistant products. But concerns about their environmental and potential health impacts have intensified in recent years.
"PFAS are persistent chemicals that require careful management," the DWER spokesperson said.
"Our assessment considered the construction and lining of the landfill cells, leachate controls, and long-term groundwater monitoring."
As part of the decision, DWER also reviewed Cleanaway's monitoring report from last year and found that PFAS concentrations in groundwater were consistent with background levels and below guideline thresholds.
The amendment is now open for a public appeal period until May 14.
Minister for Water and the South West Don Punch declined to comment.
Minister for Environment Matthew Swinbourn was also contacted for comment.
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