By Cam Lucadou-Wells
MANURE and soil dust as well as sawdust has been “raining on us” for years, say workers just 50 metres north of increasingly notorious soil and mulch yards on O’Grady Road, Hallam.
During what could be described as a light shower of dust in Bolt Court, industrial chemist Zebolitar Prvulovic said vehicles needed to be hosed down daily and factory doors firmly shut in response to the invasive dirt that has been falling on workplaces.
In a recent heavy-pollution week, Mr Prvulovic coughed for four days straight, and has taken to wearing a charcoal-filtered mask outside.
“We can’t take in the bacteria (that’s on the dust). It’s not sterile,” the science graduate said.
“That’s why we cough.”
Even inside his factory, Mr Prvulovic works within marquees in an effort to keep his intermediate sunscreen chemicals free from dust contaminants.
His neat warehouse laboratory barely has a surface spare of the red and dark film.
Neighbouring workers Jason and Ethan Walker said in that same week, their yard was “caked” with the pollution.
Normally their trucks have to be cleaned of deep build-ups of silt at least twice a day.
“It’s too fine to stop it,” Jason said.
“You open up the roller door and it goes through the factory.”
Meanwhile, Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) confirmed it was investigating several businesses in O’Grady Road – and would consider pollution notices and sanctions against the offenders.
EPA southern metro manager Marleen Mathias said EPA officers recently inspected a business in the area to “address community concerns”.
Officers then observed several other businesses that may be contributing to the dust issue, Ms Mathias said.
“While officers observed some dust plumes at the industrial sites, most of the dust had dissipated before it could impact on nearby properties.
“EPA will continue with its inquiries at each of the identified sites to determine if any work being undertaken may be contributing to dust emissions.”
The EPA thinks an unsealed local road may contribute to the problem and has advised Casey council of remedies including a reduced speed limit, Ms Matthias said.
The council also applied dust suppression to the road in the past week.
The wider investigation comes several years since businesses in Bolt Court as well as residents in Hampton Park say they started complaining about the odours and dust.
The residents in Rowland Close and Glenora Way report regular and severe hay-fever, skin hives, asthma attacks, coughing and sore eyes suffered by children, young and old residents alike.
Like the residents, Mr Prvulovic said both the EPA and Casey council had been handballing his complaints in recent weeks.
Neither had told him that neighbouring businesses had also complained of the pollution.
The EPA issued a Pollution Abatement Notice against Supreme Organic Soils (SOS) in O’Grady Road in July 2015.
It revoked the notice several months later after SOS complied with an odour management plan including buying a water tanker.
The state pollution authority stated it received 17 pollution reports since 1 January 2014 relating to dust, odour and smoke from residents to the south of O’Grady Road and visitors to the north.
“Many of the reports did not identify an alleged source, only that they had experienced amenity impacts.”
