Environment Protection Authority chasing $4.5m to recoup cost of clearing Stawell tyre stockpile

IT took months for Victoria’s environmental watchdog to remove a massive stockpile of tyres amid fire concerns — but it’s now time for the property owner to pay up. This is how much it will cost them.

VICTORIA’S environmental watchdog is chasing down ­millions of dollars spent clearing a huge stockpile of tyres in regional Victoria.

The Environment Protection Authority removed about a million tyres from the Stawell stockpile, amid fears a fire could force the evacuation of 7000 people from the northwest Victorian town.

It took nine weeks — and 380 truckloads — to move the 9500 tonnes of tyre and shred.

BLAZE FEARS STACK UP OVER TYRES MOVE

RECYCLING PLANT A BURNING ISSUE FOR MFB

The huge stockpile included about one million tyres. Picture: Supplied

It came after the owner failed to comply with a CFA fire prevention notice and three EPA notices to clean up the tyres.

EPA chief executive Cathy Wilkinson said the Supreme Court had ordered property owner, Internet Marketing Solutions Corp, to immediately pay more than $4.5 million.

She said the court had also slapped the company with an injunction to prevent it selling the property.

Dr Wilkinson said the tyre stockpile was a “great human health and environmental risk”.

“A fire would also have impacted on the brand of Grampians tourism in areas such as the Great Western, Pyrenees and Grampians wine regions,” she said.

“The risk in Stawell was compounded by size and configuration of the stockpile.”

The stockpile site was owned by Used Tyre Recycling Corporation, before being transferred to the Panama-based Internet Marketing ­Solutions Corp last year.

Used Tyre Recycling Corporation and its director, Matthew Starr, were in August charged with two breaches of an EPA statutory notice.

FORMER OWNER OF VIC TYRE STOCKPILE AT STAWELL CHARGED

[e-mail]

@moniquehore