Recycling giant charged over 2017 fire at Coolaroo waste plant
Victoria's environmental watchdog has laid charges against SKM, the firm responsible for the recycling of almost half of Melbourne's waste, for a massive 2017 fire in the city's north that burnt for more than a week.
The Environment Protection Authority has laid charges in the Magistrates Court against SKM over their July 2017 fire, which occurred at its waste recycling site in Maffra Street, Coolaroo.
The fire forced families living nearby to move away for multiple nights, and resulted in what the authority said was "a significant pollution event which ... had the potential to be harmful to humans and the environment".
A spokesman for the authority confirmed SKM Services Pty Ltd and its director had been charged with offences under the Environment Protection Act.
Thirty-two of Victoria’s 79 councils have contracts with SKM to take their recycling.
Since February 14, when the EPA shut the company’s major sorting centres, many councils have continued to collect recycling but have had little option except dumping it in landfill.
EPA chief executive Cathy Wilkinson said in February that large amounts of plastic stockpiled at the centres were too dangerous.
"These waste stockpiles could pose a significant risk and challenge for firefighting agencies if ignited," she said. "Fire water run off could also enter waterways and have long-lasting impacts on the environment due to the toxic contaminants."
Angered by SKM’s failure to run their Laverton North and Coolaroo plants properly, a handful of councils have locked in short-term contracts with recycler Visy.
On Friday, waste companies were told the EPA was likely to allow SKM to reopen its Laverton North and Coolaroo sites next Tuesday or Wednesday.
The sites are set to re-open in stages so that the waste that has been stockpiled by some councils does not overwhelm it.
One industry source said the clean-up was being complicated by some landfills refusing to take material from SKM, because of concerns the company would not ultimately be able to pay the tip fees.
"Cleanaway is taking a heap of it," the source said, at the waste company's Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall. "But other places have been less willing."
The Age has attempted to contact SKM repeatedly, without success.