By: Wendy

Wendy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:19:20 +0000

I live in Melbourne Australia where we have been in drought for 13 years. Our State government is going to build a desalination plant. As I wanted to get a water tank, I really needed to get rid of an old domestic heating oil tank in my backyard. I had wanted to get rid of it for years, but recyclers wouldn’t take it because they only take completely empty tanks. We had given away most of the oil, but there was still a residue in the bottom of the tank.
I spent several days researching the internet, phoning the council, the Environment Protection Authority, recyclers and no one could help me. Eventually, I was told to phone the Council tip. They said that I couldn’t take it there, but they knew a recycler who could remove it for me if I paid.
Of course I was only too happy to pay.
The young man arrived alone with his truck. I told him to let me know if he needed help. Next thing I went outside and he had made a big hole in the tank and drained all the heating oil onto my garden. Then he had dragged the tank, still leaking oil to his truck and left.
Now I had a worse problem.I phoned all the authorities again and was told to wrap up some soil each week and put it out in the garbage. I phoned a business which removes toxic soil from where Service Stations’ petrol bowsers used to be. They wanted $400 to remove the contaminated soil. Nothing has grown there since. Why do we pay people to protect the environment if they haven’t enough knowledge to advise us correctly?

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:21:15 +0000

I agree with you, even though the bits of this project that will be lost into the landfill are miniscule, they will be little bits of toxic battery and electronic components and really hardly worth it (or sending the right message). As you say, we know where are trash goes. Do we really need this? I don’t think so.

Comments on: Will Talking Trash Really Address the Root Waste Issues?

By: Wendy

By: Tom