Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has revoked an official order that banned a Coolaroo recycling facility from accepting combustible recyclable and waste materials.
Phoenix Environmental Group Pty Ltd was issued with the notice after EPA inspectors found the company had large stockpiles of waste and recyclable materials that presented a significant risk of fire and would be difficult to extinguish.
EPA Project Manager Resource Recovery Facilities Audit Taskforce, Steven Pugh, said the company had made its stockpiles comply with safety regulations within a few days of receiving the notice.
“This is the third time the company’s stockpiles have failed to comply with the Victorian Waste Management Policy. The policy was introduced in August 2017, and includes measures to reduce the fire risks associated with waste and recycling stockpiles,” Mr Pugh said.
“The company clearly had the capacity to bring its stockpiles under control and it is disappointing that EPA had to take such strong action,” he said.
“The message to the recycling and waste industries is that the regulations are there to protect the environment and the community, and they will be enforced.”
The company processes construction and demolition (C&D) waste, including timber, plasterboard, foam, insulation, cardboard, plastic and metals. The EPA notice prevented it from receiving any new materials to the site, but allowed it to continue processing materials to reduce the size of its stockpiles.
The notice was issued when EPA officers found loose stockpiles of combustible recyclable waste material at the premises without adequate separation distances between stockpiles and buildings or property boundaries.
“The size and contents of the stockpiles, inadequate separation distances and the potential sources of ignition increased the fire risks dramatically. Any fire would have meant toxic gasses from burning plastics, foam and polystyrene, a great deal of smoke, and fire water runoff that could contaminate local waterways,” Mr Pugh said.
EPA is undertaking further investigations of the company to determine if any breaches of the Environment Protection Act 1970 have occurred and is looking at further compliance and enforcement action available under its powers.
Victoria’s new environment laws take effect on 1 July 2020 and introduce a general environmental duty requiring businesses and individuals to prevent harm to the environment and human health. Learn more on EPA’s website at www.epa.vic.gov.au/newlaws
Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24 hour hotline on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).