Innova Soil Technology has proposed a centre at the former Dow chemical complex to clean soil from former industrial, manufacturing and chemical sites.

Altona Ward councillor Tony Briffa questioned why all of Victoria's polluted soil had to be cleaned at Altona.

"Although I welcome the opportunity to clean up any of the many contaminated sites in Hobsons Bay, I have serious reservations about a local site being used to clean up contaminated soil from across Victoria.

"The environmental, health and traffic risks associated with this proposal, along with the effect on Altona's reputation, must be carefully understood and considered.

"I encourage Innova, the EPA and the State Government to conduct an open community forum to inform residents about this proposed development and seek their input."

Innova operations manager Nick Ebrill said the decontamination process used heat to evaporate contaminants and convert them into "harmless carbon dioxide, water and a small portion of acid gas, which is neutralised".

"The centre will have the capacity to economically treat contaminated soil from sites throughout the western suburbs," he said.

"Because the process is extremely economic, polluted soil no longer needs to go to landfill or be 'capped and contained'. The process means former industrial, manufacturing and chemical sites can be reused for housing development, sports fields or parkland."

Dr Ebrill said the soil would be transported in covered EPA-registered trucks and unloaded in an airlock building before the process was undertaken in closed sheds featuring dust and odour filters.

He said the emissions were harmless, without odour, and mostly comprised salty water that was reused in the process.

According to an Innova spokesman, there will initially be 40 truck trips a week, with this figure increasing to 120 a week, including Saturdays.

Proposed opening hours are 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am-noon, Saturday.

He said traffic flow along Kororoit Creek Road and past the entrance to the proposed Innova site was 28,288 vehicles daily, of which 3481 were heavy duty. This meant Innova would add just .07per cent to the traffic flow.

A public forum is expected to be held this month.