EPA Victoria has put a ban on a Campbellfield plastics recycler until the company rearranges industrial waste stockpiles at its Northbourne Rd premises to comply with the fire safety requirements of its EPA registration.
EPA's Prohibition Notice says the way combustible recyclable and waste materials (CRWM) are stored on the site, and the significant volumes of the waste, present an immediate risk of severe and uncontrollable fire.
EPA Northern Metropolitan Regional Manager Chloe Bernett says the notice prohibits Kangaroo Plastics Technology Pty Ltd from accepting industrial waste until it complies with the strict conditions of its EPA registration.
"Major fires involving plastics and other CRWM can be hard to control. They generate smoke and other hazardous air pollutants along with oil, firewater runoff and other leachates entering stormwater drains and waterways," Ms Bernett said.
"The company's fire risk assessment points to fire safety requirements including limits to stockpile sizes, separation between stockpiles and the presence of firefighting gear. All of those measures are designed to limit the damage done by any fire," she said.
"Our inspection showed the site had stockpiles that were too big, and lacked the separation that would contain any fire and give firefighters a better chance of stopping the spread."
EPA officers inspecting the site on 13 June 2025 found one stockpile of more than 4,500 cubic metres of plastic recyclables in large, square bales.
The stockpile was 38m long, up to 50m wide and 4.5m tall at its highest point. Bunkers made of shipping containers were overfilled with baled plastics, stockpiles of baled plastic and paper were too close to neighbouring properties, and access to a firehose was obstructed.
The company has been given until 29 August 2025 to reconfigure its stockpiles to meet the registration conditions.
The EPA website has information for businesses on how to understand fire hazards associated with their activities; manage and store CRWM; and prepare an emergency management plan to deal with any fire.
