A Byrneside company has been fined $9000 by the Environmental Protection Authority for burning waste.
EPA officers went to the demolition business’s premises on April 1 in response to a fire attended by fire crews earlier in the morning.
They found a stockpile of waste, with sections still smoking.
The stockpile was about 75m long, 16m wide and up to 5m high, consisting of tree branches, plywood, particle board, scrap timber, painted wood, sawdust and other materials including plastics, electrical wires, foam and broken bricks.
EPA Northeast regional manager Renee Palmer said EPA officers found the premises did not have adequate fire suppression equipment, resulting in the waste pile smouldering for a number of days.
“Investigations are continuing into how such a large volume of combustible and mixed waste was able to be deposited at the premises, where an EPA permission may be required,” she said.
The EPA fined the company $9246 for unlawfully depositing waste via burning of more than 1000 litres at the premises, and instructed the company to remove the stockpiled waste to a facility that was properly licensed to accept it.
Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Infringements Act 2006, the business has the right to have the infringement notice reviewed or be considered by a court.