Surf Coast recycling still green despite site closures

THE Surf Coast Shire says recycling collections will continue as usual in the municipality, despite the forced closure of two major processing facilities in Melbourne.

Last week, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) ordered SKM to close the company’s sites at Coolaroo and Laverton North due to unacceptable amounts of stockpiled material posing fire risk.

However, Surf Coast Shire recycling collections will be unaffected in the short term as material is transported to SKM’s Geelong depot, which is not subject to the EPA notices.

“At this point, there is no immediate impact on SKM’s Geelong facility or operations,” shire general manager of governance and infrastructure Anne Howard said.

“As we have done in the past, we will work with other G21-Geelong Region Alliance councils on contingencies to ensure impacts on our services are minimised.

“For now it is important for people to keep recycling as usual, and we will advise of any changes.”

People can look for updates on the council’s Facebook page: business.facebook.com/ SurfCoastShireCouncil.

The issuing of EPA notices requires SKM to stop accepting material at its Coolaroo and Laverton North sites until the sites comply with Victorian Waste Management Policy.

EPA chief executive officer Dr Cathy Wilkinson said that in the event of a fire at either site, large amounts of plastic materials could likely generate significant community impacts from smoke.

“These waste stockpiles could pose a significant risk and challenge for firefighting agencies if ignited.

“Fire water run off could also enter waterways and have long-lasting impacts on the environment due to the toxic contaminants.”

She said EPA officers recently inspected both sites and observed large stockpiles of combustible recyclable waste materials from kerb-side collections stored without appropriate separation distances between stockpiles, buildings or the premises boundary.

Following a major fire at the Coolaroo site in July 2017, the Victorian Government established the Resource Recovery Facilities Audit Taskforce, which is headed up by the EPA, to inspect recycling facilities across the state and tackle stockpiles that pose a fire risk that can cause harm to human health and environment.

Since its inception, the taskforce has conducted 466 inspections at 155 sites across Victoria that have resulted in 144 remedial notices and 23 sanctions issued.