Environmental group, Residents Against Dioxins, has marked the Global Day of Action On Waste by staging a peaceful demonstration at New Berrima’s Blue Circle southern cement plant, in south-east NSW. The group planted 16 trees in a "green circle of hope", with each tree representing 10 tonnes of particles being emitted by the cement works each year.
The group has also renewed its opposition to a plan by the cement works to burn waste materials to fuel its kiln. Group spokesman Peter Lach-Newinsky says the company needs to consider the community and do more to improve the environment. "Trees, as we know, are marvelous filters of particulate matter," he said.
"One of the aims of the plant-in was to encourage Blue Circle to be a good corporate citizen and to massively fund the planting of trees, starting with New Berrima, to filter out some of the quite toxic stuff coming out of their stacks."
