Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined a Tottenham company that manufactures wooden pallets more than $7,500 for failing to put measures in place to prevent a potential chemical spill at its site.
EPA Metropolitan Manager Daniel Hunt said Highland Pallets Pty Ltd, situated on Somerville Road, Tottenham, had stored liquid chemicals including paints, solvents, dyes, oil and fuel near a stormwater drain and Stony Creek.
“EPA officers investigating the site found no controls were in place to prevent those chemicals from entering Stony Creek in the event of a spill at the premises. If a spill had occurred, the chemicals could have impacted on local fauna and aquatic flora in local waterways,” Mr Hunt said.
“Following the investigation, EPA issued the company with a notice that required the company to put control measures in place to contain any possible chemical spills; the company chose not to comply with the notice by the due date and was subsequently fined more than $7,500.”
Mr Hunt said EPA had given the company examples of how it could meet the requirements of the notice, but the information had not been immediately taken on board.
“EPA officers informed Highland Pallets about the best ways to store chemicals and gave the company advice to install bunding around stored chemicals to prevent any potential spills entering local waterways,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt said the company had since taken steps to prevent potential contamination of the local environment should a chemical spill happen at the site.
“Highland Pallets has now moved the chemicals to areas away from the stormwater drain and implemented procedures for staff to prevent contamination of the environment in the event of a chemical spill,” Mr Hunt said.
“EPA will continue to monitor the site to ensure the company remains compliant with its statutory obligations.”
EPA urges members of the public to continue reporting suspected pollution to the EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or at www.epa.vic.gov.au