Burning waste, litter, dust, sediment and a breach of registration conditions have cost Pakenham-based Metal Men Recycling more than $17,000 in fines from the state’s environmental watchdog.
The five fines come after EPA Victoria provided compliance advice, then stepped up to issuing regulatory notices that ordered the company to bring its Drovers Place premises into compliance.
EPA Southern Metropolitan Melbourne Regional Manager Viranga Abeywickrema says the site came to EPA’s attention during a routine fire prevention inspection a year ago.
“EPA’s hundreds of proactive fire prevention inspections have been designed to find issues like oversized or badly placed stockpiles and inadequate fire protection equipment, before they can aggravate an industrial fire,” Mr Abeywickrema said.
“In this case, our officers found the premises had problems with litter, mud and burning waste, as well as administrative breaches. EPA officers first provided advice, then stepped up to formal notices ordering the company to make its premises comply, before issuing fines,” he said.
“EPA set clear obligations for the company in its Registration to prevent harm occurring and avoid the fines, but the company failed to act appropriately, and the community and environment must be protected.”
The fines issued to MST 1 Pty Ltd trading as Metal Men Recycling involve:
A stockpile of waste foam that caught fire during oxy cutting
Dust escaping from the premises onto Drovers Place
Waste plastic, paper, cardboard and fabric blown or falling from vehicles along Drovers Place and Ridge Place
Sediment dropped onto Ridge Place, from vehicles leaving the premises
Breaches of the requirements of the premises’ EPA Registration
The fine for breaches of the registration will cost the company $9,615; the other four fines will cost $1,923 each.
“EPA will monitor this premises in the coming weeks and months to ensure compliance with the Environment Protection Act,” Mr Abeywickrema said.
Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
