Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA VIC) has fined a Portland company over $7,500 for depositing industrial waste at a site not licensed to receive it.
Iron Horse Enterprises, trading as WestVic Demolitions and Asbestos Removals, was implicated following a report to EPA VIC’s pollution hotline. Its officers investigated a site at Hamilton Rifle Range and found an estimated 700 tonnes of demolition waste illegally stored.
Iron Horse Enterprises was also served with a clean-up notice to remove the waste to a facility with either an EPA licence or local government permit to accept it.
“Iron Horse Enterprises has since applied to Southern Grampians Shire Council for a planning permit to carry out crushing of the waste at the premises for the purpose of constructing/repairing access roads and car parks,” said EPA VIC South West Manager Eve Graham. “The planning permit application was approved by council and EPA has now withdrawn the clean-up notice so the works can go ahead.”
Ms Graham used this case to emphasise that property developers, construction companies, sub-contractors and earthmovers all have obligations to manage any waste materials being generated from development, construction or demolition projects.
“If you are a soil cartage company, skip bin operator or truck driver hauling construction or demolition waste, you are considered to be a transporter of waste and can be guilty of an offence if the material is not delivered to an appropriate facility that can accept this material,” Ms Graham said.
Full details on how businesses can manage waste and comply with legislation In Victoria is on the EPA VIC website.