EPA Victoria has fined a Derrimut tyre recycler nearly $10,000 for failing to keep proper records of its onsite volumes of waste tyres and shredded material.

EPA Western Metropolitan Regional Manager Jeremy Settle says the $9,880 fine for Waste Tyre Recyclers Pty Ltd is not just about haphazard paperwork.

“This is about the risk of pollution and fire. An EPA routine inspection found the company had insufficient records of the amount of waste tyres onsite. Waste and shredded tyres can burn, and the company could not prove how much it had on site,” Mr Settle said.

“Combustible waste is covered by regulations to prevent stockpiles being too big, too close together, or too close to onsite infrastructure, including drains and anywhere too close to buildings or the property boundary,” he said.

“You can’t just keep piles of flammable waste material and hope none of it gets off the property or catches fire.”

Waste Tyre Recyclers receives, stores and shreds waste tyres at its West Court, Derrimut, premises for exporting overseas. EPA officers estimated the tyre stockpile to be the equivalent of 300 passenger vehicle tyres and about two cubic metres of shredded waste tyre material.

The company operates under an EPA permission that has strict conditions, including the requirement to make and retain waste inventory records. Failure to have those records is a breach of the Environment Protection Act 2017.

Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Infringements Act 2006, the operator has the right to have the infringement notice reviewed or be considered by a court.

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