The Department of Environment and Science (DES) has announced that more than $100,000 in fines have been issued in the past three months to people illegally operating in the waste industry.
DES has also issued 16 Direction Notices to immediately cease activities for operators in breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
Minister for the Environment, Meaghan Scanlon said that ensuring waste is handled appropriately was fundamental to protecting the environment and communities.
“Guaranteeing licensed waste operators who follow the law are protected from operators who are not licensed is also important to the economy,” Ms Scanlon said.
“DES launched a team of compliance officers dedicated solely to investigating and enforcing waste legislation in November last year.”
She said the team had undertaken almost 20 site visits to waste operations and waste tyre handlers who were believed to be operating outside the law.
She said compliance officers had issued 15 Penalty Infringement Notices with fines totalling more than $100,000.
“In addition to this work to ensure the waste industry is operating appropriately, a waste stockpile fire prevention guideline has also been developed by DES with support from the Waste Recycling Industry Association of Queensland,” Ms Scanlon said.
“We have had some significant issues in relation to used tyre stockpiling which has led to fires. When they occur, waste fires are a threat to the environment and to human health.”
She said a new guide – Prevention of fires in waste stockpiles – would assist waste facility operators manage combustible waste stockpile fire risks and reduce the environmental impacts of a fire at their premises.
The 20-page guide can be accessed at this PS News link.
