YORK’S TYRE FIRE FUNERAL PYRE

 The burning question is- why is this still a toxic wasteland?

In 2014 Shire workers attempt to remove the tyres using ratepayers money and without a ‘Controlled Waste Removal Permit’. The tyres are still there and they should not be.

York is acclaimed as one of the most architecturally stunning 19th Century towns in Australia. It is not a dusty, ramshackle outback fleapit littered with old car bodies, rotting tyres and decomposing car batteries.

Well- not quite.

There would be no other town in Australia like York with a two metre high pyre of old tyres and car batteries comfortably nestling against a petrol station and gas bottles just metres from an historic main street. And, of course, with the ubiquitous rusting car bodies not far away.

Petrol is one of the most flammable, explosive fire accelerants known to man and propane is not far behind.

Stockpiled tyres are usually set alight by lightning strikes, grass fires, electrical fires, arson and just plain stupidity.

You could not imagine more of a worst case scenario than York’s toxic time-bomb stored within metres of a massive volume of fire accelerants.

So if this eyesore went up- could you expect smoke induced sore eyes?

Sorry it is a lot more than that. Tyre fires distribute hundreds of potential carcinogens, not the least of which are cyanide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. If you include the car batteries you can add lead and sulphuric acid to this scary mix.

So whose health can be seriously affected?  It is quite a large list including young infants, children, the elderly, asthmatics and those suffering from lung and heart disease.

So how long do these fires last for?  The answer is days, weeks and in some cases months, years and decades.

Can these fires cause severe environmental damage? The answer is yes. Besides the airborne toxic contaminates there will be carcinogenic liquid residue infecting the soil, groundwater, and in York’s case, probably polluting the Avon River.

So what can the Shire of York do about this situation? It has an Environmental Health Officer and the potential to utilize the content of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and subsidiary legislation such as the Environmental Protection Regulations 1987 to have this contaminant waste removed.

How does the Shire of York achieve what should be its aim? The Environmental Health Officer contacts Viva Energy Australia, Head Office, Level 16, 720 Bourke Street, Docklands, Victoria 3001, the owner of Shell’s nation-wide retail petrol station network advising it of the situation and politely demanding the removal of all potential toxic waste from the site.

This will be a true test of the Shire of York’s Major Strategic Review 2016 including its Comprehensive Policy Review, its Clear Shire Direction and its ability to stamp out blatant deferential cronyism and interventional, nepotistic favouritism shown by several Shire Councillors regarding the implementation of its policies.

Otherwise the threat remains with added extras.

International health agencies advise that piles of rotting tyres left in the open air are a health hazard attracting mosquitos and vermin such as rats and mice.

 In particular mosquito borne diseases are a serious threat. So serious that on September 25, 2015, a ‘Fight the Bite’ mozzie campaign was launched in Mandurah by the WA Health Department.

Western Australia’s mosquito fleet delivers debilitating illnesses such as Ross River and Bumah Forest Virus. There is another that lurks in the wings, Murray Valley Encephalitis, an extremely serious and potentially deadly condition.

So York’s tyre trouble should not be a matter for contentious, protracted Shire debate. It should be a case of tyres here today, but gone tomorrow!

David Taylor.