Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has granted a works approval for Organic Matter Solutions Pty Ltd to operate mobile facilities to burn excess waste under strict conditions.
EPA Manager of Development Assessments Tim Faragher said the units contained air curtain burners that could combust green waste, wood waste and biohazard materials.
“These units can also be used for emergency clean ups during fires or floods and to help with fuel reduction for bush fire prevention in urban and rural areas of Victoria,” Mr Faragher said.
Mr Faragher said EPA had imposed a range of conditions on the works approval, which included only being able to use the facilities between the months of March and November.
“The company must also obtain approval from all relevant government authorities, for example the local planning authority, before it undertakes any burns,” Mr Faragher said.
“There must be fire fighting equipment capable of controlling and extinguishing fires when a facility is in use and it must be situated more than 500 metres away from any residential properties and 100 metres from any waterways.
“A further condition is that any waste must be generated at the specific site where burning occurs and it must not be treated timber contaminated with CCA (copper, chrome and arsenic).”
Mr Faragher said that Organic Matter Solutions would also require an EPA licence to continue its operation and supply EPA with an environment improvement plan that contained procedures for it to deal with any potential environmental risks.
“The company can currently operate under its temporary commissioning plan while it prepares a full EPA licence application,” Mr Faragher said.
Mr Faragher said in its application, the company had proposed a number of locations where it would use its mobile facility, including transfer stations, landfill or tips, rural areas and emergency clean ups as required.
“EPA in assessing the application has declined the company’s request to operate at semi-permanent locations such as landfills or transfer stations due to the potential risk of emissions into the local environment,” Mr Faragher said.
“EPA has restricted where these facilities can be used, so that they don’t become a cheap form of waste disposal at the expense of genuine recycling opportunities.”
Mr Faragher said EPA only issued a works approval when it is was satisfied an application had addressed all relevant environmental issues and consulted extensively with the local community.