A Current Affair raked in some impressive Thursday night viewership last achieving a total TV national reach of 1,374,000 and a national average of 904,000.
Last night’s episode took a dive into the picturesque NSW Southern Highlands, where the usual quiet of Moss Vale has been interrupted by a new development—one that’s bigger than your average shed, with a bit more impact than a new coffee shop.
Locals are rallying against a $70 million plastic recycling plant set to be built on a greenfield site outside the town, which, if approved, could introduce a non-stop, 24/7 facility processing 120,000 tonnes of plastic each year. And just in case that wasn’t enough excitement, the facility would bring 100 trucks in and out of Moss Vale every day—turning the rural roads into a bit of a freeway.
The area’s residents, who enjoy a countryside lifestyle with rolling farmland, hobby farms, and family-run schools, aren’t thrilled about their new potential neighbour.
At a recent town rally, Plasrefine’s CEO Nanxi Zheng spoke up, hoping to reassure the community that this is all for a greener cause. Zheng explained that her uncle, who co-founded the company, was struck by how much plastic waste ends up in landfills and wanted to make a difference. “Why not start a company to help the environment?” they thought, so Plasrefine was born—new to recycling, but eager to roll up their sleeves.
However, for the families living nearby, that might mean needing to roll out of town. Mum Sinead, whose children’s school is just three kms from the site, described the project as “tragic” for their lifestyle, saying they’d seriously consider relocating if the facility moves in. And for Joshua and Najette, proud parents of little Eleanor, who live only 800 meters away, the prospect of “managing outdoor time to reduce pollutant exposure”—a suggestion from Plasrefine’s proposal—felt more like a movie plot than a practical plan for raising a child in the country.
Despite their concerns, the project has managed to pass every test on the state government’s checklist, even with opposition from the Wingecarribee Council. Some locals feel like the government is already leaning toward greenlighting the project, but they’re not giving up just yet.
With petition submissions closing on November 25, and ACA on their side, the determined community has pledged to keep fighting for their rural oasis—hoping to preserve a place where the only “buzz” comes from local bees, not construction and plastic processing plants.
