Efforts to reduce one of the region’s worst environmental hazards is suffering a major blow after the owners of Stawell’s Tyre Yard were found to “repeatedly fail” complying with fire protection notices.
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Used Tyre Recycling Corporation’s (UTRC) inability to follow Environment Protection Authority (EPA) notices and a Country Fire Authority (CFA) Fire Protection Notice has forced EPA to take action.
To date the owners of the Tyre Yard have not complied with a CFA Fire Prevention Notice or three statutory notices issued by EPA which required a reduction in tyre numbers, stockpiles to be separated and measures taken to reduce the risk of fire.
EPA said it is considering taking steps under Section 62 (conduct or cause a clean-up) of the Environment Protection Act 1970 to take charge of the site and effect a clean-up.
The new owner of the Tyre Yard now has seven days to respond before EPA takes any further action.
The stockpile was assessed by the CFA as a “very high fire risk” that presented social, environmental and economic implications for the community.
Used Tyre Recycling Corporation has previously told Fairfax Media that works to reduce the rubber stockpile would speed up once EPA approved a permit for a recycling plant.
EPA chief executive Nial Finegan said the application was received in December, but later contacted UTRC to inform the company it had not received enough information for EPA to formally accept the application.
“While subsequent information has been received from UTRC, it has not been sufficient for EPA to formally accept and begin assessing the application under the statutory works approval process,” he said.
“EPA has had regular communication with UTRC since this request, but as the information has still not been forthcoming EPA has returned to UTRC its works approval fee and is no longer processing the application.”
With another fire season fast-approaching EPA and CFA continue to work together with Northern Grampians Shire Council and other agencies to ensure the Tyre Yard is managed appropriately.
EPA will continue to provide the community with updates as the process unfolds.
Used Tyre Recycling Corporation could not be reached for comment.