EPA Victoria is assessing a licence application from Envirostream Australia to manage and continue operating a specified e-waste resource recovery facility to recycle end-of-life mixed batteries.
Six main end-of-life battery types are collected from retailers including lithium ion, lithium metal, alkaline, nickel calcium, nickel metal hydrate and lead acid batteries.
The Campbellfield facility has capacity to process more than 500 tonnes of specified e-waste per year, and so requires an EPA licence.
Envirostream plans to store no more than 308 tonnes of material at any one time. Of the 308 tonnes of material, Envirostream proposes to store 36 tonnes to be unprocessed e-waste, 115 tonnes to be unprocessed specified e-waste, 80 tonnes to be mixed batteries and 77 tonnes to be processed material.
All operations occur within a fully enclosed building, operating Monday to Friday. A Hume City Council planning permit is also required.
EPA will assess the application for potential environmental impacts, such as noise, waste, odour, dust and potential land, surface water and ground water contamination risks.
EPA is also considering whether enforcement action should be taken under its Compliance and Enforcement Policy, as the facility had been operating unlicensed.
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