By Pam Kiriakidis
An unknown resident dumped three 44-gallon drums full of sump oil and other rubbish along O’Gradys Road, Kilmore East.
Wandong local Robert Neil noticed the dumping about a month ago, finding more than 100 gallons of oil and reporting the waste to Mitchell Shire Council three weeks ago.
Council officials said they had been previously notified, but Mr Neil said he was worried about a lack of action on the abandoned drums.
The waste is next to the train tracks at Kilmore East, near the power lines and drainage that extends to Kilmore Creek, which is contains wildlife including platypuses and fish.
Mr Neil said he was worried about the potential for oil to lead into the creek if council did not act to remove the drums.
“If they crack open and start spilling out, you’re going to have over 100 gallons of oil running through the Kilmore Creek,” he said.
He said an oil dump was a massive risk with the fire season approaching, giving council more reason to remove the waste as quickly as possible.
“You get 100 gallons of oil that’s leaked down through the railway line and into the creek, it only takes a quick spark to get into that and off it goes again,” Mr Neil said.
“It’s not just a pile of rubbish that’s been dumped, it’s an environmental hazard. It’s a catastrophe waiting to happen if these drums crack open or the lids pop off, and all that sump oil leaks right in through the creek.”
