THE Greens candidate for the federal seat of Fremantle says authorities need to take notice of growing complaints about pollution from Cockburn Cement.

Dorinda Cox says locals are fed up with their property being damaged by dust and were worried about the health effects on their family.

Although complaints dropped off a couple of years ago when the company spent millions installing bag filters, Ms Cox says from anecdotal evidence things seem to have deteriorated and she’s up for a legislative slap to bring them into line.

“It is simply unreasonable to expect the people of Munster to put up with stinging eyes and damaged property, while sometimes being too concerned to let their kids play outside after seeing their property covered in dust,” Ms Cox said.

“This is the only coal-fired facility within metropolitan Perth, so strict regulations need to be put in place to protect locals from the huge public health risks associated with coal.”

She says there are solutions available, but the most pressing one was to convince Cockburn Cement to dump coal.

Local action group Cockburn Pollution Stoppers member Gregory Hocking says the company’s “social licence” had been revoked by the community and wouldn’t be restored until there were government controls with teeth.

by STEVE GRANT