Sludge battle turns nasty

Andrew Mathieson
Activists allege they have been threatened over their attempts to thwart a $70 million plan to dry sewage sludge for fertiliser near Breamlea.
Community action group Thirteenth Beach Coast Watch has been working with Clean Ocean Foundation to prevent the development on the site of Barwon Water’s Black Rock Treatment Plant.
The Barwon Water project proposes to dry sewage sludge, called biosolids, to produce fertiliser pellets.
Thirteenth Beach Coast Watch member Sharon Marshall has a led a chorus of objectors who have already stopped an initial plan to dry biosolids on farmland north of Geelong. Ms Marshall said vandals had repeatedly slashed banners and signs labelling the biosolids project a sludge factory. The banners are on private land near the treatment plant.
“Little did we realise that such action would result in our banners being maliciously damaged every time we put them up,” she said.
Ms Marshall alleged the start of the vandalism coincided with a biosolids open day a fortnight ago to promote the project.
Ms Marshall said Barwon Water had no role in the attacks but claimed she had received “threatening and abusive” phone calls and even a threat to “fix her up” from a worker at the treatment plant.
Another member of the community group said a load of rubbish had been dumped on the driveway of her home in response to the campaign.
Clean Ocean Foundation chief executive Carlo Iacovino slammed the attacks.
“These cowardly acts and threats will not stop us from campaigning against ocean outfalls and the building of industrial sludge processing factories on the Surf Coast coastline,” he said.
Barwon Water defended the biosolids plan, saying 200 patrons at recent open days on the project had reponded with “overwhelming” support.
The authority would also need an EPA works approval to give the project a clean bill of health before it went ahead, a spokesman said.