A CENTRAL Victorian council is among those caught out after the Environmental Protection Agency stopped recycled materials being sent to two Melbourne sites.
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The Macedon Ranges Shire Council is reassuring residents their recycling will not go to landfill in the aftermath of the announcement.
Recycling will be processed as normal, the council says, with contractor Four Seasons Waste finding alternate facilities.
The Environmental Protection Authority has issued notices blocking SKM Services from accepting recyclable waste at its Cooleroo and Laverton North sites.
The company received 50 per cent of Victoria’s kerbside recycling, according to the Municipal Association of Victoria, with only one facility still accepting goods.
EPA CEO Cathy Wilkinson said that in the event of a fire at either site, large amounts of plastic materials could likely generate significant community impacts from smoke.
"These waste stockpiles could pose a significant risk and challenge for firefighting agencies if ignited," Dr Wilkinson said.
"Fire water run off could also enter waterways and have long-lasting impacts on the environment due to the toxic contaminants.
"EPA has also determined that SKM has not taken reasonable steps to manage and store combustible recyclable waste materials at these facilities in a manner that minimises the risks of harm to human health and the environment from fire."
The Mount Alexander Shire Council, the Central Goldfields Shire Council and the City of Greater Bendigo were not affected by the EPA's block.
Municipal Association of Victoria president Mary Lalios called for policy makers to consider greater oversight of the recycling industry.
"We understand the need to ensure community safety due to stockpiling, however a lack of leadership and investment by both federal and state governments over many years has left our recycling industry in a volatile position," she said.
Some local council contractors could be forced to consider taking recycling to landfill until other arrangements could be made, Cr Lalios said, though she was not yet aware of any instances of that happening.
The City of Greater Bendigo’s Brooke Pearce said there was no risk of its recycling going to landfill.
Recyclables were processed in East Bendigo by a contractor in collaboration with Visy, neither of which were having issues, she said.
"JJ Richards & Sons, who we utilise are a really well-established company across the nation and they have committed here to taking on the Bendigo facility and upgrading the infrastructure," she said.
"It means we can sort it and get the best possible result out of the kerbside recycling."
Those upgrades were expected to take place in the "near future", Ms Pearce said.
SKM has been contacted for comment.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
