Gunnedah Quarry Products Pty Ltd (GQP) has been ordered to pay $52,000 by the Gunnedah Local Court for a breach of its Environment Protection Licence at the Marys Mount landfill in Mullaley.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said GQP began placing large volumes of waste into a landfill cell without authorisation in early December 2024.
The premises ignited into a large fire on 15 December 2024, with smoke blowing eastward towards Gunnedah.
NSW EPA Director of Field Operations Scott Kidd said the EPA assisted in the emergency response to the fire, which exposed issues at the site.
"This incident is a prime example of how important it is to ensure landfills are managed appropriately and to the letter of the law," Mr Kidd said.
"Residents were impacted by smoke from the fire and were forced to keep windows, doors and vents closed in the days before Christmas, while firefighters battled to contain the blaze.
"Fires at waste facilities are extremely difficult to extinguish and can cause environmental impacts, while incurring significant costs for repair and remediation.
"Our investigation confirmed the landfill had a high risk of fire because it contained a large volume of combustible material, including plastic, timber and cardboard, which was not covered.
"The waste was also stacked more than four metres high, which is contrary to NSW guidelines on fire safety in waste facilities, as this allows oxygen to travel quickly though waste stockpiles."
In Gunnedah Local Court this week, GQP pleaded guilty to one offence under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and was ordered to pay a fine of $40,000 and to cover the EPA's legal costs of $12,000.
The judgment is the latest action the EPA has taken in response to the incident, including deploying air monitors, and issuing two Prevention Notices, a Clean Up Notice and a Licence Variation to GQP.
