Recycling to head to the tip after Coolaroo blaze

TONNES of recycling could add to landfill as the company behind the Coolaroo fire refuses to accept waste from anywhere but 12 Victorian councils.

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TONNES of recycling could be set for landfill with the company behind the Coolaroo fire refusing to accept waste from anywhere but 12 Victorian councils.

More than 100 tonnes of waste will be refused every day for at least six weeks by SKM Recycling, as its plant has ­finally been deemed safe after burning for 11 days.

The company receives, on average, between 1100 and 1200 tonnes of recyclable mat­erial every day across Victoria.

Firefighters battle the Coolaroo blaze. Picture: MFB

Corio Waste Management chief executive Mat Dickens, whose company sends mixed recycling to SKM, described the move as a “disaster”.

He was last week contacted by the recycling plant and told it could no longer accept his mat­erials, effective immediately.

“The consequences are going to be Victoria-wide,” he said.

“There will be increased costs and material going to landfill in the short term — it’s not a positive outcome at all.”

Mr Dickens said he contacted competitors who said they had received a similar call from SKM and were given the same on-the-spot notice.

The fire in full fury. Picture: 7NEWS

A spokesman for SKM said the refusal to accept material from “a number of private contractors” was to reduce the volume of material it received by about 10 per cent.

He said SKM believed it would be in a position to accept non-contracted materials in about six weeks.

Firefighters remain at the Coolaroo recycling plant where they are monitoring for hot spots after the fire, which ignited on July 13, was deemed safe on Sunday.

The blaze burned for 11 days, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.

More than 100 people have now expressed interest in a class action against SKM.

Maddens Lawyers issued a Supreme Court writ last week with lead plaintiff Castor Mur­illo, who claimed he was evacuated for five days because of toxic fumes from the blaze.

Further plaintiffs are ­expected to join the lawsuit against the company.

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