A pile of burning industrial waste blamed on a discarded cigarette has cost a Moolap company a fine of $7,929.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) fined VTA Pty Ltd, trading as Brett’s Mini Bins, after a member of the public reported smoke coming from the company’s premises.
EPA South West Region Manager Carolyn Francis said authorised officers were dispatched to the premises at 32 Buckley Grove, Moolap, and quickly confirmed there was a fire.
“The EPA officers saw a plume of smoke coming from the rear of the premises, and found a stockpile of burning industrial waste eight metres long, four metres wide and the height of a tall adult,” Ms Francis said.
“The stockpile appeared to consist of unsorted waste materials and included steel, aluminium, green waste, soil and plastics,” she said.
The site is a recycling facility where material is normally hand sorted on arrival. Representatives of the company told EPA the materials had been stockpiled at the rear of the premises because the company’s bobcat had broken down.
They told EPA investigators a discarded cigarette butt landing in a green waste bin was the likely cause of the fire, which then spread to the adjacent stockpile of unsorted materials.
“A skip bin operator should be aware that burning of industrial waste at their premises is not permitted, and failing to have a no smoking policy in the workplace, or allowing someone to ignore it, shows poor operational standards,” Ms Francis said.
EPA fined the company for discarding industrial waste in contravention of Section 27 of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
“The fine is a warning to all businesses that they cannot afford to be careless with pollution, and must do the right thing by their customers and the community,” Ms Francis said.
Under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and the Infringements Act 2008, the company has the right to have the decision to issue the infringement notice reviewed or alternatively to have the matter heard and determined by a court.
Irresponsible and illegal disposal of skip bin waste is a significant problem across the state, and EPA urges anyone who books a skip to ask the right questions to make sure their waste will go to the right place.
“Before you hire a skip bin, EPA encourages you to read online reviews and ask the business owner whether they can provide a receipt or other paperwork to prove the waste has gone to a legitimate landfill or recycling facility,” Ms Francis said.
“The customer has the power to make sure they are dealing with a responsible skip bin operator, and the waste is going to the right place,” she said.
There is more information for skip bin customers on the EPA website, at:
https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/your-environment/waste/hiring-skip-bins
Members of the public can report pollution by calling the 24-hour hotline 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).