A Bulla waste facility has been fined $7773 by Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) for breaching its licence conditions by allowing stockpiles of composted materials to catch fire.
Veolia Environmental Services (Australia) Pty Ltd received the fine after an EPA investigation found poor site practices led to the fire at its Sunbury Road site on 16 March 2017.
EPA Metro Manager Dan Hunt, said the fire was the result of stockpiles at the site being too large and that a lack of waste rotation failed to reduce the mulch’s temperature, which is required to ensure the waste does not self-ignite.
“Fire at a waste site can cause disruption to local communities, can impact on neighbouring properties and the local environment,” he said.
“EPA expects that preventative actions are taken to avoid stockpile fires and that companies have processes in place to ensure compliance.”
“This can be achieved through a number of ways such as management plans of stockpile levels and internal ventilation.”
Mr Hunt said the business received the fine after it breached a condition of its licence to ensure waste did not burn at the premises.
“While the company is reviewing its practices to prevent this from happening again, EPA officers will continue to conduct inspections to ensure the operator is complying with the conditions of its licence,” he said.