Council calling for clean air measures for West Gate Tunnel stacks

Published on 16 April 2025

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Council is urging the State Government to prioritise community health and immediately commit to installing effective filtration systems as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project.

Plans for the West Gate Tunnel Project currently include two unfiltered ventilation stacks to be located in Yarraville and South Kingsville – raising serious concerns about the impact on local communities.

Despite predictions of thousands of vehicles using the tunnel daily, including a significant number of heavy trucks, there are no confirmed plans to include filtration infrastructure in the ventilation stacks to manage the resulting air pollution.

Following the endorsement of the Air Quality Improvement Plan in late 2022, Council declared a Health Emergency in May 2023. The Air Quality Improvement Plan highlights the ongoing negative health impacts caused by heavy vehicle traffic through the streets of the City of Maribyrnong. The pollution generated by these vehicles has long been a source of concern for local residents and health professionals alike.

Council will write to the Minister for Environment, requesting they direct the Environment Protection Agency to:

  • set up a ‘Conference of Interested Persons’ to enable residents and air pollution/health experts to present new evidence supporting the need for filtration
  • comply with the Environment Protection Act’s General Environmental Duty and adopt a prevention-based approach by using available technology to reduce harmful emissions and protect both environmental and public health

Mayor, Cr Pradeep Tiwari expressed his concern about the adverse effects that the unfiltered stacks will have on the community.

"This is a matter of public health. Our community is already dealing with the impacts of traffic-related air pollution, and the proposed ventilation stacks will only make things worse if left unfiltered. Residents in Maribyrnong and the inner west deserve better – we cannot accept infrastructure that puts their health at further risk,” he said.

 

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