Fresh fire fears: Hazards at SKM Recycling’s Laverton recycling plant may pose more risks

ANOTHER site owned by the recycling company at the centre of the Coolaroo blaze that burned for days is a potential fire risk.

ANOTHER site owned by the recycling company at the centre of the Coolaroo blaze that burned for days is a potential fire risk.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the Environment Protection Authority visited SKM Recycling’s Laverton North site on Friday to assess the fire risk and concerns about stormwater run-off.

The EPA — determined to hold the recycling company to account — will now inspect SKM’s Hallam and Geelong sites to see if they are also fire risks.

It will also serve three improvement notices demanding SKM Recycling clear its backlog of unsorted waste at Laverton, produce paperwork and prevent toxins from running into stormwater drains.

The scene of the Coolaroo recycling plant fire. Picture: David Crosling

Firefighters at the Coolaroo recycling plant fire. Picture: David Crosling

EPA chief executive Nial Finegan confirmed the EPA, MFB firefighters and Wyndham City Council inspected the Laverton site.

“EPA is committed to holding SKM, and operators of similar sites, to account,” he said.

“EPA met with company director Robert Italiano and other SKM representatives during the inspection.”

Recycling facilities across the state will be audited after the Andrews Government announced a joint taskforce yesterday.

The taskforce will involve the EPA, MFB, CFA and Emergency Management Victoria, and will identify potentially dangerous sites in a bid to ensure community safety.

Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said she intended to use a special law to speed up the response.

The Sunday Herald Sun received multiple complaints over the storage of excess waste at the Laverton site.

Firefighters at the scene of the blaze. Picture: David Crosling

Photographs taken yesterday show mountains of recycling bales stored beside vehicles in an employee carpark.

The blaze at the Coolaroo site continued to burn for a third day yesterday but was under control.

Residents from 150 evacuated properties have returned home. But there remain fears over the Coolaroo site because it has been the fourth fire there since February.

Waste usually taken to Coolaroo was being diverted to Laverton, despite bales of recycling already overflowing into the carpark.

The state government confirmed recyclables would continue to be collected as normal and be diverted to Laverton.

The Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group will review arrangements for collecting recyclable materials tomorrow.

SKM did not respond to questions emailed yesterday while its phone diverted to voicemail, which was full.

But the company did reply on Friday, saying, “Thank you for your email. We do not have anything to comment at this stage. Have a Super-Terrific Weekend!”

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