The NSW Environmental Protection Authority has issued an $8,000 fine to QSSR Pty Ltd, operating as Shoalhaven Recycling, after it failed to notify them of a fire at its plant.
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Emergency services battled a fire at the Bomaderry recycling centre on November 20, which could have started from a discarded battery.
EPA director of regulatory operations regional south Nigel Sargent said the authority only became aware of the incident through media reports, five hours after the fires had started.
He said it was a licence condition to notify the EPA under the circumstances.
"The fire impacted a large stockpile of waste, the awning of an onsite building, as well as nearby vegetation," Mr Sargent said.
"Smoke from the fire impacted on residential areas and also drifted on to a nearby industrial estate and in Bomaderry. Water from firefighting operations was discharged towards a local waterway.
"The earlier the EPA becomes aware of a pollution incident, the quicker we can provide advice on mitigation measures that will minimise further harm to the environment."
The incident is not the first time the Bomaderry recycling plant has received fines from the EPA.
In 2018 the EPA issued three penalty notices to Shoalhaven Recycling. The first, on April 19, 2018 amounted to $1000 for failing to pay the fee issued with the clean-up notice. The other two were issued on May 24, 2018 for water pollution and contravention of a licence condition. Those two fines were $15,000 each.
On May 31, 2019 the EPA issued a prevention notice to Shoalhaven Recycling for stockpiling glass.
Anyone who has information about a potential pollution incident should contact the EPA's 24-hour Environment Line on 131 555 to make a report.
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Stuart Thomson
Journalist at the South Coast Register.
Journalist at the South Coast Register.
