Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) attended a significant industrial fire at the MRI (Aust) Pty Ltd e-waste and battery recycling facility at 1789 Sydney Road Campbellfield on Sunday 9 August 2020.
The fire was managed by Fire Rescue Victoria and EPA responded with officers attending within two hours of the fire being reported. EPA officers have attended the site daily since the incident.
EPA has issued two official directions to the company. One direction was issued during the initial emergency, requiring the company to trap and recover any firewater that had left the site and to have the site surrounded by a bund to trap any additional fire water. The second direction, with bunding in place and the site handed back to the company, requires MRI to assess rainwater accumulation onsite each day and remove it if required. MRI (Aust) Pty Ltd has to date complied with these directions.
The company has engaged an environmental consultant and been required to provide EPA with daily updates.
EPA will be maintaining daily inspections of the site for the next few weeks.
Public health update:
The immediate risk of harm from the fire is now over.
EPA and other agencies are onsite to ensure proper measures are in place to prevent any offsite impacts associated with the burnt waste stockpile.
Members of the public should avoid the area if possible.
EPA has monitored air and sampled waterways.
EPA advises that people and pets should avoid contact with Merlynston Creek, Jack Roper Reserve lake and Foden Reserve wetland until further notice.
