Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has issued a Coolaroo company with a licence suspension notice that requires it to cease accepting combustible recyclable waste at its site until it has been demonstrated that it can operate within the confines of the EPA licence.
The company, Glass Recovery Services (GRS), operates a glass recycling operation, and was the site of two recent fires attended by Metropolitan Fire Brigade (29 March and 12 April).
Under the terms of its licence, GRS must not allow waste to burn nor allow the discharge of contaminated water from the premises.
GRS is also the subject of an EPA investigation for not complying with notices issued earlier this year that required the removal of identified industrial waste (combustible waste) from the site and prevention of offsite discharge of E.coli contaminated water.
EPA Regional Manager Dan Hunt, EPA Metropolitan Region said the EPA action followed failure by the company to comply with licence conditions to prevent impacts to the local environment.
“In addition to the EPA licence breaches, the company’s stockpiles are also in breach of the Victorian Waste Management Policy and it cannot receive further combustible waste at the site until EPA is satisfied it has regained compliance,” Mr Hunt said.
“A large volume of glass waste it has received at the site has been contaminated with other types of waste, such as mixed plastics and paper and has resulted in an increased fire risk.”
