Locals have been left frustrated by a Environment Protection Authority (EPA) decision to drop criminal charges against Barro Group for its mismanagement of the Kealba landfill where underground fires have been burning underground for more than six years.
The EPA charged Barro and its three directors with breaches of the general environmental duty in 2022.
In a recent statement the EPA said its withdrawal of criminal charges would not limit further compliance and enforcement activity in the future.
“We acknowledge this is a disappointing outcome for the community,” the EPA said.
“However, the most important thing is to make sure Kealba landfill is safe, all hotspots are extinguished and Barro Group is brought into compliance,
“By concentrating resources and expertise on the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) case, and our ongoing compliance actions, we stand the best chance of making that happen.”
The EPA revoked Barro’s operating licence in 2023. Barro has appealed the move at VCAT.
The regulator said it continues to monitor the landfill to ensure Barro works to extinguish the last remaining hotspot.
Resident Nicole Power, whose health has been negatively affected by noxious odours from the landfill’s ongoing fires, said the decisionto drop the criminal charges is “a monumental failure by the EPA”.
“It just devastated me,” she said.
“I just can’t understand. There’s been no penalty whatsoever for these fires.
“We need some transparency, some community consultation. We need to know why the charges were dropped.”
An open letter from residents affected by the landfill said the EPA’s withdrawal of the criminal charges “undermines confidence in enforcement and denies the community the justice it deserves”.
Brimbank mayor Thuy Dang agreed the outcome is disappointing.
“The community expects that regulators like the EPA will utilise their full jurisdiction to hold industry operators to account, to ensure that their practices are safe, responsible and cause no harm to the community and the environment,” she said.
“Council and the community have long-held serious concerns about air quality and health impacts and want to see decisive action on this issue to protect public health and the environment for generations to come.”
Barro Group declined to contact.
