A Sunshine North company was fined nearly $8000 earlier this month, after stockpiling more than 70 tonnes of waste tyres without a licence.
The Environmental Protection Authority fined Steve’s Wheels and Tyres, after repeated warnings went unheeded and no licence was acquired for the 8500 waste tyres on site.
EPA’s metro region manager Daniel Hunt said stockpiles of this kind represented an unacceptable risk.
“Uncontrolled stockpiles like this represent a significant fire hazard; a burning pile of tyres produces toxic smoke and is particularly hard to extinguish,” Mr Hunt said.
“The stockpile is a hazard. It is close to neighbouring properties, most of the waste tyres are in one continuous large stockpile, and if it catches fire, firefighters would find it difficult to access.
“The company disregarded an official warning for storing more than the equivalent of 5000 car tyres, when it did not have a licence and had not applied for one.
“Having issued the warning, then the fine, EPA will continue to monitor the site.”
The EPA has also served a Pollution Abatement Notice upon the company, requiring the removal of the tyre stockpile to below 5000 waste tyres within the coming months.
