Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has issued a second fine against a West Footscray company for failing to comply with section 27 (1A)(a) of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
Trading as Casings Australia, 19713 Pty Ltd came to EPA’s attention when it was found in April 2016 to be holding the equivalent of more than 45,000 car tyres at its Somerville Road site.
At the time, a Pollution Abatement Notice (PAN) was issued by EPA requiring them to reduce the stockpile to under 5,000 by January 2017.
On inspection in January this year, EPA found Casings Australia had failed to meet the target and were stockpiling the equivalent of 7,000 car tyres.
“If an organisation is engaged in storing more than the equivalent of 5,000 tyres they must obtain a licence from EPA. Casings Australia is aware of this and was provided with EPA advice to that effect. They failed to comply with the requirements of the PAN and were fined $7,773,” said EPA Manager Metro Dan Hunt.
“A further inspection by EPA officers in March found that, despite previous advice and associated penalties, the same number of tyres were stockpiled at the site.
“As they did not hold an EPA licence to store waste car tyres, they have been fined a further $7,773.
“We will continue to monitor the site to ensure the company is compliant and will take action if they are not. The storage of large amounts of waste tyres is a serious fire risk which are difficult to extinguish and can create environmental and public health issues.”
To view EPA’s tyre regulations visit:
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/business-and-industry/guidelines/waste-guidance/storage-of-waste-tyres-in-victoria
EPA published a media release about the original offence on 7 April 2017. Click here