By Benjamin Millar
Close to 200 tonnes of recycling material collected in Hobsons Bay each week will once again be dumped in landfill after the EPA ordered contractor SKM Recycling to stop receiving recyclable materials.
EPA Victoria on Thursday ordered the beleaguered company to stop receiving recyclable materials at their Coolaroo glass recycling facility, leading to a closure of its four recycling processing facilities in Laverton North, Coolaroo, Geelong and Hallam until further notice.
The facility was the site of two fires earlier this year.
EPA has identified large volumes of new combustible waste materials accepted at the site in contravention of notices issued in the wake of the fires.
EPA Resource Recovery Facilities Audit Taskforce Manager Danny Childs said the company’s stockpiles are in breach of the Waste Management Policy and it cannot receive further combustible waste at the site until EPA is satisfied it has gained compliance.
“A large volume of glass waste it has received at the site has been contaminated with other types of waste, such as mixed plastics and paper and has resulted in an increased fire risk within stockpiles,” he said.
“The current state of the company’s stockpile could create a significant challenge for fire authorities if ignited. A fire at the site has the potential to be a significant pollution event which could be harmful to local communities and the environment.”
SKM provides recycling services for more than 30 councils, collecting about half of Victoria’s kerbside recyclables.
The councils are bracing for the worst after SKM founder Giuseppe Italiano warned he was closing the business.
While Hobsons Bay waste and recycling collections will continue as normal, about 175 tonnes of recyclables collected each week will be sent to landfill from Friday.
The Council issued a statement that it shared the disappointment of this news with the community and was working hard on a solution.
“We will keep the Hobsons Bay community updated as the situation progresses.
“In the meantime, if you can hold back your recycling, you are most welcome to do until recycling continues as normal.”
The Council has been working with the state government and other service providers on immediate options, but said there is no viable option for the short term storage and management of recyclable material.
Hobsons Bay mayor Jonathon Marsden earlier this week said it has been a frustrating period of uncertainty for the area’s recycling service.
“From SKM’s temporary closure in February we are fully aware of the vulnerability of Victoria’s recycling industry and are working through a number of options with the aim of minimising the impact on residents,” he said.
“Unfortunately the remaining two waste operators – Visy and Polytrade – are already at or nearing their capacity so we are investigating a range of other options.”
The state government is scrambling to attract an alternative waste collector in a bid to avoid up to 400,000 tonnes of recyclable material going to landfill each year.
The Municipal Association of Victoria says councils may struggle to find alternatives, given their experience when SKM facilities were shut down earlier this year.
The opposition has labelled the situation a “recycling fiasco”, but Environment Minister Lilly D’Ambrosio said on Sunday the government had been working with the councils who have contracts with SKM to look at alternatives for managing kerbside recycling collection.
“SKM’s ongoing non-compliance is unacceptable and we make no apologies for taking the necessary action to protect the community from dangerous waste stockpiles,” she said.
Maribyrnong Council recycling contractor Visy remains unaffected and collection and processing will continue as normal.
