A Brooklyn business has been fined almost $8000 after drone technology showed it was not complying with its licence.
Western Land Reclamation Pty Ltd was last week fined $7700 for failing to cover exposed waste at its Brooklyn landfill in November, 2016. It was the company’s second breach of EPA regulations in the past year.
EPA metro manager Daniel Hunt said investigators were able to identify the breaches by using new surveillance gear.
“It has already caught several sites out, particularly, as in this case, around a licence condition that requires operators of landfills to cover exposed waste at the end of operations for the day,” Mr Hunt said.
He said a drone was used after EPA investigators saw staff leaving for the day without covering refuse.
“The licence conditions for Western Land Reclamation’s Brooklyn landfill clearly state that waste contained in landfill cells must have a covering of 15 centimetres of soil, or a cover approved by EPA, placed over any exposed waste at the end of each day,” he said.
“EPA’s drone was able to capture footage of uncovered waste in a landfill cell that appeared to be industrial in nature and included the likes of wooden pallets, rolls of carpet, a mattress and a large roll of discarded paper.” Mr Hunt said the EPA required the company to cover waste at the end of each day to stop the odour affecting nearby residents, and also to lessen the chances of refuse being blown away from the landfill.
Covering also reduced the chance of vermin gaining access to the litter.
In July, 2016, the EPA issued a breach notice and fined the company for dust and smoke discharged from the Bunting Road site after a number of complaints by local residents.
