I welcome the release of the Inner West Air Quality Community Reference Group’s report on air quality which has been a detriment to Hobsons Bay.
It is now time for the State Government to clean up unwarranted pollution in the west which has emanated from landfill, heavy industry, waste storage sites and other polluting sources.
One of the particularly worrying issues was evidence by Melbourne University’s Professor Louis Irving, who noted there was a rising incidence of lung disease among 20-30 year olds.
These are in people who never smoked, with most of them living in the inner west of Melbourne.
It makes you worry, doesn’t it?
Fixing the issue up starts with more air monitoring stations, supporting the use of alternative fuels for trucks and cars, enforcing dust control measures at industrial and construction sites and relocation of the polluters.
The community reference group has made about two dozen recommendations, which I hope are acted upon by the State Government in the coming years.
Thanks to the community members who put in a lot of hard work on formulating their report.
Go to The Age for a good summary of the report here.
