It’s okay to boycott Tesla products.
If Elon Musk’s tweets make your teeth itch, if his politics repulse you, or if his general vibe just gives you the ick, fair enough. Buying something is emotional and if seeing a Tesla logo in your garage would make you miserable, you shouldn’t buy one.
But trying to stop a Tesla facility in Adelaide that will:
- reduce waste by giving batteries a second life,
- create exactly the kind of high-value jobs this city needs,
- and clean up contaminated land that’s sat idle for decades…
…because of this one objectionable man?
There are plenty of good reasons to take a stand against Elon’s business interests, but in the case of this project, there are even better reasons to support it.
The site of the proposed Tesla facility in the south of Adelaide.
A Win For Jobs And The Environment
Here’s the deal: Tesla wants to build a battery refurbishment facility at the old Mitsubishi site in Tonsley, about 4 km from my house. The plan is to inspect, test, and repurpose used batteries from EVs and Powerwalls, rather than scrapping them. Along the way, they’ll remediate the site and hire skilled workers in a city that needs both.
The backlash has been huge. Over 200 public objections (95% of submissions) and a fired-up crowd at a recent public meeting. Some raised legitimate concerns – noise, traffic, zoning – which deserve proper scrutiny.
But much of the outrage is not about the project itself. You can see it in the signs, the comments, the tone: they’re not just anti-industrial land use.
They’re anti-Tesla. And let’s be honest, that’s really just code for anti-Elon.
Tesla Is More Than One Man
I get it. I don’t like Elon either. I think he’s a deeply unpleasant bloke, and there’s good reasons to stand up to his agenda. But Tesla isn’t just Elon. It’s thousands of engineers, designers, and workers trying to make energy cleaner and transport smarter.
This is exactly the kind of facility Adelaide should want: low emissions, high-tech, future-focused and job-creating.
If South Australia had blocked Tesla’s Hornsdale Big Battery because people didn’t like the CEO, we’d have missed out on a world-first project that slashed prices, improved grid reliability, and sparked global copycats.
Hate Elon if you want. Boycott the cars, the batteries, the brand.
But don’t block the work. Don’t let your opposition to the bad things Elon is up to derail progress on a positive project.
This isn’t about protecting Adelaide from Elon Musk. It’s about letting Adelaide get on with building the future.
About Finn Peacock
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Totally agree on both your comments regarding the project and the man himself.
People saying “trees not Tesla’s” it’s an old factory on contaminated land, not the Botanic gardens.
Nick, it’s ironic the Tesla / tress analogy.
Renewables is not particularly bush friendly.
You see the huge swathes of native bush taken completely out for solar farm, wind farms, then the massively wide paths for transmission lines.
All ok for govco, but then local councils give people a very hard time when they want a dangerously huge eucalyptus removed from near their homes.
Visit a gas /oil field and processing faciliy and come back with a comparision
not seen to much bush left on a cotton or wheat farm either…
Hear hear. And buy Tesla, one of the few Western companies taking the energy transition and climate change seriously. I’ve worked for organisations with terrible CEOs, I never saw it as a reason to target the company itself. But everything is personal in social media society.
Tesla is Musk and Musk aligned himself with Trump, the ultimate climate change denier, drill baby drill fracking fan. Many CEOs and major shareholders are anonymous but Musk has always been the identity of the brand. Tesla stock has been wildly overvalued making Musk the richest man in the World on paper for years. I think the saying ‘Live by the sword, die by the sword’ is appropriate to Musk and Tesla.
Overvalued by historical standards but the market is forward looking and the pipeline of projects indicates current price is in fact undervalued which is why the price share trend is upwards not down !
130,000 people work at Tesla, many of them brilliant. Lets’ not sacrifice them on the altar of schoolyard like and dislike politics.
This is a ridiculous commentary… Elon Musk owns less than 13% of Tesla….
The cars as a symbol of Elons politics is a stupid and illogical premise.
Dont agree with his politics? Fine… but to tar the cars with a stigma because of it is the height of stupidity…
Without Tesla pushing the bounds of technology, electric cars wouldnt exist as they do now. In fact the tech lead would be Chinese.
If you are prepared for the auto industry to be dominated by Chinese industry like it is for most other manufacturered goods. Keep it up you dummies…
“If you are prepared for the auto industry to be dominated by Chinese industry like it is for most other manufacturered goods. Keep it up you dummies…”
The dominance of the Chinese in the EV market is partly due to Musk. BYD’s offerings are better than Tesla’s and they’re cheaper. Remember Musk’s comments about BYD never succeeding in the EV game?? It’s that sort of arrogance that has cost Tesla its dominance in the EV market.
My gosh Musk said that over 10 yrs ago when BYD was nobody and when Warren Buffet invested in it which turned out to be a bargain price but still not as profitable as Tesla over that same time frame.
Yes BYD has now got bigger in sales, mostly hybrids, and has so so many models to achieve it, but it’s becoming evident its quality or EV longevity is looking shaky. YouTube videos of cranky customers and mechanics saying that the components in the suspension and even underbody sheet metal is good for scrap in the race to produce cheap.
“If you are prepared for the auto industry to be dominated by Chinese industry like it is for most other manufacturered goods. Keep it up you dummies…”
Musk is the one that supports Trump’s tariffs and policy which is giving China a massive leg up. The market is the market. The reason why Tesla is unpopular is due to Musk actions. Don’t blame the consumers
Well said Finn. I am a resident of Marion in SA and am in favour of the development even though I dislike Musk. I plan my next car to be an EV and would still consider Tesla. The new use, remediation and jobs make sense for this land and although some trees will be removed Marion has a very strong tree planting programme throughout its council area.
Musk’s battery plant will be staffed largely by robots not people. The number of jobs the project will create will be minimal.
Our Mayor Hanna of Marion quotes 100 new extra local jobs. Plus the factory may encourage other recycling companies to the precinct.
Finn, I find it hard to believe YOU make a comment “bad things” if you think bad things like rolling back of the waste of government resourses/money is a bad thing.
The USA is in 37 trillion dollars of debt, but you demonize someone for taking some action agaInst it.
Its people who think this is wrong that support an top heavy public service like we have in Australia where unemployment is controlled by increases in the size of the public service.
Our employment rate is fake. Take out public service growth. And unemployment is significantly worse…
Its all smoke and mirrors by the federal goverment….
The USA is in 37 trillion dollars of debt Yes that is a fact. As is it is also a fact that the rich do not pay their fair share and Tax in the US is considered wage theft. Tax is used to pay for roads , and other social infrastructure so long as political on either side in the USA refuses to properly collect tax it will always have a tax issue – right now orange Jesus is giving billionaires a much needed tax break will the poor lose food stamps 37 trillion dollars of debt will grow and grow its the American way.
You are wrong on several things – it appears that Musk and and band of tech boys at DOGE have actually cost the American taxpayer more than they’ve saved, but who would know, it’s all secret. The latest bill introduced by Republicans will actually increase the debt by 3 or 4 trillion, so they obviously don’t care about that.
And here in Australia, the Labor government got rid of 55,000 “consultants”, and replaced them with 33,000 actual public servants.
On the point of this post, if people don’t want any products associated with Musk, maybe he shouldn’t be so toxic.
I have no comment on the man.
My comment is on the business plan – if its a good plan can it be done by Australians. Funds raised by Australians and jobs for Australians?
Ah, another Tesla blog, thought we may have seen the last of them after the previous one.
This project should go ahead, but disappointing if it is only for Tesla battery products ??
That seems to be hinted at in the lower section of the article.
And please, don’t turn off comments when people start pushing their agendas like the last article, where some of perpetually offended crowd got their backs up and insult other bloggers, without a chance for reply / debate (looking at you Koi).
You post a blog article, expect the comments.
True, let him build his facility, it is something we do need.
However I would certainly be very upset if any govenrment money or tax breaks went his way to set it up.
Just dont expect me to make use of his products,
Elon has changed and he’s now alienating the very people who originally supported him and the vision for a clean energy future.
I really loathe what he has become and the people he now represents. They are the opposite of Musk’s original plan.
And yet, I’ve just taken delivery of a model Y Juniper, which is just fabulous. I tried to buy a BYD or Xpeng, or BMW or any other EV, but they didn’t measure up as a total value, performance and efficiency package.
Tesla began without Musk. He didn’t create Tesla and Tesla is a business that will eventually continue without him. There are 100,000 talented and dedicated people working very hard to improve what is the industry leading product. China will surely overtake Tesla in the next year or two but it’s still not demonstrably better. The less said about the appalling Cybertruck the better.
Tesla as a business is also doing great things with its grid scale batteries. Powerwall, not so much.
Great points Finn. I am an ex South Aussie with family links to that general area of town.
I loathe Elon Musk, his politics, his DOGE actions, his support for the Trump administration and his attitudes towards so many things. I don’t like Tesla cars and their market approach for various reasons and would never buy one. I’ll buy an EV though.
I recognise the advances that Tesla made in moving EVs into the mainstream and developing battery technology. The Chinese may have moved ahead of Tesla but their people deserve credit for what they have achieved.
The Tesla Battery was a major step forward for battery use in our grid management. Elon and the SA Government deserve recognition for taking that leap forward and the stimulus that provided to the role of batteries in the grid.
They both deserve credit for this project. It is a WIN/WIN for all. People should put aside their distaste for Musk and support the importance of this project.
I totally agree with you Finn. People have to separate their emotions and look to the common good. I remember a talk by Lee Kwan Yeu ( apologies for the spelling) about how Singaporians were expected to use as there mantra. The good of the country and your fellow man comes first then yourself. We are stuck with batteries now so a refurbishment facility Wether it be Tesla or someone else has to serve the common good.
Musk holds 12.8% of Tesla. Hence boycotting Tesla hurts the other 87% ownership as well.
Tesla should appoint a new CEO. Musk is too damaged to continue. However, this has to be done by a shareholder revolt from the 87% because Musk has stacked the board.
Tesla is one of the few car companies in the world that only makes electric cars. There is no cross subsiding of its ICE vehicles because it does not make any.
The Tesla brand needs to be separated from Elon the person. While this directly helped Tesla become the giant it is, Elon’s antics for attention and over inflated in a sense saviour complex is tanking his consumer products. The brand needs to be allowed to stand and outgrow him as it is much too intertwined. Given his loose attitude by his own choice painting a target on his own back many times, just more than ever, by his more recent actions, he makes the investment in Tesla a very high risk.
It is not the consumer that needs to get out of Tesla’s way. It is Elon that needs to get out of Tesla’s way!
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” Lord Acton
Also see, John DeLorean’s rise and fall.
Much of the protests are about approving a business decision that ultimately rewards the world’s richest man who has clearly aligned himself with a fascist doctrine and regime. For Pete’s sake, fascist salutes, refusal to allow other EV vehicles into the US, removal of environmental protections and investment. The Hornsdale battery(an excellent example and innovation for the rest of Australia) was approved and built before Elon’s true vision and values were revealed publicly. It bugs me that I have Tesla batteries bought before I knew these values – they now sport stickers with “Eco friendly, not Elon friendly.” I cannot afford to replace them and doing so would not be environmentally friendly either. For sure let’s encourage and actively seek the establishment of a battery refurbishment business on that site for all the good reasons that have been espoused but make it one which accepts all manufacturers, not just Tesla, and one that does not support such hateful values.
Racist, Nazi ? My gosh it never fails to amaze me at how social media spin makes people believe in nonsense.
Hi Mediacritic,
I’m not sure what sort of “spin” has been going on but the US president is simultaneously ejecting immigrants and granting white south african farmers political asylum, because somebody has convinced him there’s a genocide being committed against them.
The US president now looks like a fool, telling lies directly to, and being corrected by the South African President.
While sycophants make excuses about the innocence of a particular hand gesture that “comes from the heart” what they fail to acknowledge is; no matter the intent, it gives others permission, it emboldens bigots to say the quiet part out loud, it normalises behaviour that would get you gaol in Germany.
So in the days directly after Musk’s ice breaker, they line up to do just that… straight from the hip, without using autism as a despicably obvious excuse.
or put a sticker on it
Elon is autistic and he is an awkward speaker, but what agenda of his offends you? From my perspective everything he does is to benefit society
Seriously ! Everything ?
You must live in a cave with no internet.
You’re right Finn, Tesla is much more than it’s owner.
Let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture
Well said Finn. Emotion should not overcome logic and facts.
Elon may be a loathsome, despicable person, but I wish he were building it here in WA instead.
As you’ve explained, don’t let one odious individual cloud your judgement.
Seems like the council has ignored all the irrelevant objections. If so, that is how it should be.
I do find it interesting how Musk was the golden boy of the Left for many years, but as they veered ever further Left, and Musk got left behind (no pun intended) he became something of a pariah, especially when he opted to support Trump as the democratic option for president. But he hasn’t changed he’s still an ADHD teenager.
An article elsewhere said 897 out of nearly 1,000 were opposed to the Tesla facility. The problem is, as this piece notes, most are anti-Musk. If it were a Chinese facility going in, how many would protest?
The reality is the land is a toxic wasteland that’s been closed to the public for a decade, not true greenspace. To the north i.e. over the fence, is TAFE, Flinders University, and assorted companies and possibly light industry. To the east is more factory or industry type structures. And south of Sturt Rd is the main Flinders campus which is huge …
As for traffic, the site is 5 minutes from the Southern Expressway. How much more appropriate can you get?
I disagree. Tesla and Elon aren’t doing this for the environment or to create jobs. The jobs are a means to make money. Elon would replace them with robots and AI if he could. Tesla and Elon are building this to make money. Elon is the main beneficiary if Tesla succeeds and makes money because he owns a massive chunk of Tesla and his wealth is tied to Tesla. In this case the battery recycling plant is the product. The objections are boycotting the product
He isn’t the main beneficiary. He only owns 13% of Tesla. There are many investment companies that have a larger share than him…
That percentage doesn’t matter. His wealth is heavily tied to Tesla. If you are buying Tesla products and supporting Tesla you are funding him, increasing his wealth and supporting what he stands for
I believe his wealth is now spread across a range of companies, including in Space X (Falcon rockets and Starlink satellites). It not a public listed company but it’s the highest valued privately owned company in the world. He is not the only owner but he is the brains. Tesla is his signature legacy wealth generator for Musk but not the only one.
His major source of cash is not Tesla, its SpaceX… it is huge proportion of his income.
His share of Tesla returns is small compared to that.
Are we going to get all twisted about SpaceX next?
Not his wealth though. It’s been reported by Quartz that 60% of his wealth is Tesla stocks and options. And given how wealthy he is that’s a huge amount of his wealth tied to Tesla
Musk is the only Western CEO serious about doing something to change almost anything, even government for the better. His methods are no doubt unorthodox if not sensational. I for one scratch my head at some of his antics but you can’t doubt his ability to raise money and make stuff that makes serious money.
Musk has successful and highly profitable companies, Tesla, Space X & Xai which are all pushing the boundaries of human endeavour for humanity’s benefit. In due course when he is old he will offload his wealth to charitable institutions as he can’t take it with him nor his legacies.
So look past the politics, which is only a bump in the road, to see the greater human endeavours that his people, 100, 000 plus, are being empowered to achieve. Remember we all are happily buying today Volkswagens and Toyota, all created by truly evil people/regimes during WW2 yet think nothing of it. Or buying stuff from China from forced Labor camps imposed on Muslims or genocide on Tibetans.
So true. Well said.
Whatever may be said against Elon Musk, he did put EVs on the map in the USA and Tesla does produce and maintain high quality cars and batteries.
He didn’t do that. He just took the credit for it. He wasn’t even a founder of Tesla. He just used his money and others did the hard work for him and then he took credit for it
Nonsense he brought his brains and money to make Tesla a success. Musk is a strategic thinker and practical engineer. Just look at all his endeavours. XAi, Starlink, Nuerolink, Artemis robots, Falcon rockets….
For xAI just look at what Elon did to the communities in Memphis with the polluting gas turbines. They weren’t even told let alone consulted. Absolutely shocking. Elon only cares about himself. Look up the YouTube video “We went to the Town Elon Musk is Poisoning”. It’s shocking what he did.
The GTs were only temporary while the incompetent transmission company dilly dallied connecting up extra transformers/transmission lines to the grid from the xAi plant. The jobs done now and half the GTs have left site already. The other GTs are on standby until the next tranche of plant expansion happens and with it the extra transformers/transmission lines. Hopefully, no GTs will need to be run, and they too shipped off site.
Not so sure about the “high quality cars” when it comes to the cyberturd.
Both China and USA show the most reliable and safest EVs are Teslas in recent years.
I bought a new Model 3 highland and it makes my traded in BMW 3 series look like not only a dinasour but also cheaply finished.
Cybertruck is a masterpiece in technological marvels which was always going to be challenging to deliver. Under the circumstances a few teething problems was inevitable but all have have been quickly addressed at no cost to foundation customers.
Venting of spleen may be cathartic, but hopefully the preponderance of unhappy commenters realise that what the drought-stricken farmers in SA and the Western District, as well as repeatedly flooded folk up north, need is an accelerated energy transition. Now! Climate change will increasingly damage food supply for a century to come, but battery recycling is part of making batteries renewable, i.e. mining-free.
My MG4 BEV and EVE domestic batteries are Chinese, not because of their politics, but for the quality, price, and nifty driving experience. Tesla is just too expensive. Emotion is irrelevant.
Fleeing USA researchers are amazed by Denmark’s free tertiary education & healthcare, & fluent English. Europe & China look likely to replace USA’s technology lead and economic supremacy. Let Elon relocate to Mars, by all means. The rest of us will then just have to deal with half a billion climate refugees this century.
We need free (STEM) Uni again – that is nation building.
The bloated and conceited social ascendancy that Trump and Musk are clobbering isn’t used to unceremoniously getting the shove, seeing its sacred sites demolished and finding itself looking down into the dustbin of history.
Fear not petals. In all likelihood the crash or crash through policies will probably crash, Musk is having to go back to riding the Tesla Tiger and the Chinese competition, and hopefully the wipeout of environmental programs will be eventually undone.
If the ideological illuminati of Adelaide don’t want our economy in general and our national car inventory in particular, totally dominated by the Chinese,Tesla is a leading edge choice, even for offended sensitives.
Tesla is one of the last great American heavy industry success stories that can boast a leader of the same stature as even the greatest robber barons of the nineteenth century, whose inventiveness, entrepreneurial vision, daring, commitment, hard work & greed made America great in the first place.
Sorry many snowflakes are triggered by the man. It’s truly pathetic that people get all butt injured and ignore how much they loved him when he supported the Dems.
Look at what his company did and the things he did, home batteries etc etc. you may not like the direction he has taken, but to be so bent, twisted and deranged now is pure mental. The ability to look at things from a critical mindset and use logic sadly appears to be fading quickly.
Hi J,
The progress made by Tesla has been impressive. Manufacturing efficiency, gigacastings, getting Germans to buy American cars.
I know a punter who can tell you about Musk, because they invested in Tesla very early on, and knew him personally.
The Elon we see now isn’t the same bloke who was working at Tesla before they ever made a car.
While there was a layer of public relations people regulating what the public see, Musk was well regarded.
Once he bought Twitter there was no longer any filter and going on the evidence, unadulterated Musk on unadulterated recreational chemicals, combined with sleep deprivation, isn’t a very sane or well received message.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/see-elon-musk-actually-sleeps-114558987.html
Hoping this project makes it.
So let’s ratchet it up another level.
How about we ban all that is connected to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). Known fact (Professional reporting by the BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, NBC, our own ABC) they imprison like thousands and thousands of of Uhger Muslims into factories under gun point to manufacture solar panels. Execute dissident political figures that don’t toe the CCP hardline. Remove female tennis players that accuse a Snr Member of the CCP of an unwanted sexual attack on them, and keep them virtually locked up in a tiny apartment for over four yrs and still no freedom.
And will one day undertake a full military attack on the democratic by choice (of over 97%) people of Taiwan be because they chose/vote to be independent of China.
So all on this platform will what????
100%…. most people are hugely under informed about the personal damage being done by the CCP and choose to ignore it because they get cheap shit….AND it is mostly SHIT…
Their opinion won’t change until the Chinese hit the beaches of Northern Australia. Then it will total outrage….
The Adelaide battery project is good. Elon is not. There may be more to Tesla than him, but there are few publicly listed companies so controlled by one person. That person is so repugnant that it is immoral to provide any support, that goes for working for him as well.
If the project is viable, other investors will show up – happy to wait
Pretty much my take on this.
I also think Tesla as a company has gone downhill of late due Musk’s focus on stoking his own fame and wealth. The back up service for Tesla Powerwall is absolute rubbish now…..no more 24/7 help line and long waits for a response to issues.
Yes, I support solar. I support batteries. Australia can BUILD factories without Musk.
Sorry — don’t agree with you — It’s ok for Musk to build factories in China — they are already a DICTATORSHIP.
If Hitler were to want to build a factory in SA, would he be welcome?
Adelaide would be inviting an evil person into your community….
Musk wants to DESTROY Democracy — do you think Musk will stop at the USA?
Musk is promoting racism in the USA with made-up Afrikaans stories….
Musk is committing CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY in the USA — don’t you read the news???
I hope the Tesla proposed plant never happens, not only for the sake of those in Adelaide & South Australia but for ALL of us Australians who still believe in the Rule of Law and fairness and justice.
Do not do deals with the Devil…
D Zinn
How can one separate the economy from the polity?
If we value our Democracy — keep Trump & Musk OUT!
No Democracy, no Economy, no Freedom.
Musk does the Hitler salute…. Would be welcome Hitler’s funds during WWII?
This is a global war — just being fought with different weapons — this time with tariffs… I’m sure you know Trump is already interfering with Australian Universities.
Have your read about this?? This is against OTHER countries — like Australia.
“The ‘revenge tax’ buried deep in the budget bill could turn a trade war into a ‘capital war,’ analyst says”
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/obscure-tax-item-in-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-alarms-wall-street
Speaking of jobs — would any of the jobs created by Tesla employ Australian gay men and women? Musk is violently anti-gay. Or would Tesla just quietly work against Australian values? Here’s one example from the Musk administration (no, he is not gone — just behind the scenes). Hegseth orders US navy to strip Harvey Milk name from ship amid Pride month
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/03/harvey-milk-ship-name-hegseth
Oh, please, enough of the hate! Tesla is an equal opportunity employer. As long as you can do to the job , are qualified etc your on. Play up, not follow training or instructions or guidance by by. As for what the USA government is doing, what’s it to do with Musk he only ran DOGE for 130 days as limited by statute.
Hi Media,
Equal opportunity *except if you’re in a union* because Tesla use anti-union practices, including firing employees involved in union organising and surveilling union activities
While U.S. law protects the right of workers to join unions, Tesla does not have unionised workers in the United States, making it the only major American carmaker without union reps
Musk has publicly rubbished unions, and the company has resisted unionisation efforts. In one notable case, Musk tweeted that workers would lose stock options if they unionised, which the National Labor Relations Board found to be unlawful
Credible whistleblower accounts, ongoing federal investigations, and legal actions from unions show DOGE has targeted both unions and the NLRB by seeking unauthorized access to sensitive labor data and undermining the agency’s ability to protect workers’ rights
…and in Sweden: Tesla workers affiliated with the IF Metall union have been on strike since October 2023, demanding a collective bargaining agreement. Tesla has refused to sign such an agreement, arguing it does not fit with the company’s business model
While Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory has a works council (a form of employee representation common in Germany), it does not have a union collective agreement. Tesla has refused to sign such agreements with the IG Metall union, though it has signed limited works agreements with the council.
Yes indeed Tesla is an equal employment opportunity employer but will not allow traditional unions on site. That is because wether it be USA or UE there demands destroy productivity. Hence why we are now seeing mass lay-offs in both continents by legacy automakers who are hamstrung with conditions that allow to little flexibility to compete.
Ironically, surveys of employment verified by employees themselves indicate Tesla pay among the highest wages in the industry and offer educational and promotional opportunities 2nd to none. I can see why employees are in no hurry to join a union. Workplace committees to improve staff conditions and employment opportunities are actively encouraged as happy staff leads to staff staying and engaging.
I would just want to be sure I know all about the potential pollution from the recycling factory first, as a basic search on Tesla and the pollution it is producing in other installations in the US (admittedly not necessarily battery recycling) is testament to the fact Musk simply does not care about the people living near his factories. Caveat Emptor.
Who give a flying photon about Musk? The issue is that we will be overwhelmed with decaying, dead Li batteries and we badly need a recycling plant somewhere in Oz to deal with the ever-growing problem; it is not going to go away!
You nailed the issues Finn.
Regardless of who owns or operates a battery recycling plant, what are the risks to the surrounding residents? (From the map the plant appears to have housing on or near at least two sides.)
The record of American industry vs the health of nearby populace is poor. (Will Tesla push against Australian regulator boundaries?)
I would not want to be living near by. Will there be a negative impact on house prices within a radius?
Oh please what further hate excuses will you throw up.
Mediacritic — whoever you are. Stop with the HATE!!!!
Do not attack those who disagree with you.
The site was, for a very long time, a large Mitsubishi car plant, then a Chrysler one before that. There are still a number of industrial businesses in the same general area.
I suspect a battery recycling plant is a somewhat cleaner environment than the previous uses. And the housing is not that close, plus the plant will be surrounded on one or two other sides by other commercial facilities. And the very busy southern freeway and South Road, as well as other major roads.
The latest and greatest battery recycling technology seems to be Chinese, so there’ll doubtless be a cluster of outraged grumpies protesting if Adelaide takes advantage of the decreased pollution and increased recovery yields. The “Just Have a Think” YT channel is usually thought provoking and this one does not disappoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_v-IzxxWl8
(Harmless aminoacids – whoda thunkit?)
With the EU mandating ever increasing percentages of recycled material in new batteries, their cyclic material use will reduce battery-associated mining from its initial miniscule levels compared to the megatonnes of fossil pollutants. (Energy grumpies weep.)
We’re slow here down under, but smarter and more energetic societies show us profitable and effective ways to a cyclic resource economy. In a century or two we could be sustainable. Tesla may by then be to EVs what ICL was to mainframes, and Commodore was to PCs – a forgotten pioneer from the lost American era. (VW long gone)