Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined a Thomastown company more than $7,500 for storing about 11,000 tyres of various sizes at its premises without an appropriate licence.
EPA Metro Manager Daniel Hunt said the size of the stockpile at ELT Recycling Australia Pty Ltd’s Aylward Avenue site was the equivalent of about 35,000 standard car tyres.
“Tyre fires can cause major pollution of the atmosphere and are incredibly difficult to extinguish, as was the case when a stockpile caught fire in Broadmeadows earlier this year. Once ignited, they are hard to control and generate hazardous smoke that can cause a health risk to the community,” Mr Hunt said.
“The stockpiled tyres are an environmental hazard waiting to happen, which is why EPA has fined the company and is looking at other possible sanctions under the Environment Protection Act 1970.
“Anyone who illegally stockpiles tyres can face a fine of up to $758,350 if prosecuted before the courts.”
Mr Hunt said that by storing more than equivalent of 5,000 standard car tyres at its site, ELT Recycling Australia was in breach of EPA tyre regulations that came into force in 2015.
“The company had repeatedly disregarded notices issued to it over the last 18 months that required a reduction of its stockpiles and for measures to be put in place to ensure it remained compliant with EPA regulations,” Mr Hunt said.
“EPA tightened tyre regulations in 2015 to ensure the Victorian public was better protected from the risk of tyre fires from unsafe stockpiles.
“The guidelines require premises that store more than 40 tonnes or 5,000 waste tyres to obtain a works approval and licence from EPA, which ELT Recycling Australia does not have and nor has it applied for.”
If the community suspects someone is illegally stockpiling tyres or taking them to a place that cannot lawfully accept waste tyres, they are encouraged to contact EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).
To view EPA tyre regulations, please visit:
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/business-and-industry/guidelines/waste-guidance/storage-of-waste-tyres-in-victoria or http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/setting-standards/waste-tyre-storage-ris