Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined a Craigieburn company more than $7,500 after it disregarded an official warning issued to it for storing too many waste tyres at its Technical Drive premises.
EPA Metro Manager Daniel Hunt said an EPA inspection of the site found that Engine Galore Pty Ltd was storing approximately 6,500 equivalent passenger units (EPUs) of waste tyres without the required EPA licence to do so.
“The company was issued an official warning last year and informed that it would face further sanctions if it didn’t reduce its stockpile to less than 5,000 EPUs. While the company did initially reduce its stockpile, it has allowed tyre numbers to increase again, which is why EPA has fined it more than $7,500,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt said sites that stored more than the equivalent of 5,000 standard car tyres without a licence were in breach of EPA waste tyre regulations that came into force in 2015.
“These regulations require companies that store more than 40 tonnes or 5,000 waste tyres to obtain a works approval and licence from EPA, which Engine Galore does not have, nor has it applied for,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt said large tyre stockpiles could pose a major fire risk to the environment and the local community.
“Tyre fires cause pollution of the atmosphere and are incredibly difficult to extinguish. Once ignited, they are hard to control and generate hazardous smoke that can cause a health risk to the community,” Mr Hunt said.
Mr Hunt said EPA had issued the company with a further notice that required it to reduce its waste tyre stockpile to less than 5,000 EPU by Monday 27 February 2017.
“Failure by the company to comply with this notice by the due date could see further sanctions handed down until compliance is achieved,” Mr Hunt said.
If the community suspects someone is illegally stockpiling waste 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).