Stop the Hampton Park Waste Transfer Station

Residents living in the Hampton Park area were promised that the existing overflowing landfill at 290 Hallam Road would be transformed into parkland for the community to enjoy. Yet, without meaningful community consultation, those plans have been abandoned, and the site is now set to become the largest Waste Transfer Station (WTS) in Victoria. Located in a densely populated area, the proposal ignores buffer zones meant to protect residents from the potential dangers of WTS operations, including emissions, poor air quality, and fire hazards. Hundreds of trucks will flood local roads, increasing noise and heavy traffic. The size and location of this WTS will threaten the health and wellbeing of the community for years to come.

The proposed WTS is designed to handle and process 550,000 tonnes of waste annually, with over 500 truck movements daily, including A-double trucks transporting waste every 15 minutes. Operations are set to begin at midnight, with trucks delivering waste from 6 am to 6 pm to the La Trobe Valley, a 120km away. The waste would then be burned at the State’s first approved waste-to-energy incinerator in Maryvale. 

This proposal has sparked widespread outrage among residents. It ignores the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) 500m buffer zone guidelines, with homes just 54m from the site’s boundary. The community has serious concerns regarding the environmental, health, and safety risks posed by a facility of such scale situated within a residential area, especially given the operator, Veolia’s, history of environmental violations.  

Despite the project’s impact, many residents, especially those who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, have not been properly informed or consulted about its potential long-lasting consequences. 

We must act to protect the community’s wellbeing and the future of residents.