$10,000 up in smoke in Tarneit dumpster fire

An unattended skip full of burning industrial waste has cost a western suburbs bin hire company $10,167 after a visit from EPA Victoria.

Hassan Truck Hire Pty Ltd was fined after a member of the public reported a fire at a property in Boundary Road, Tarneit.

The company had already been ordered to remove waste that had been dumped at the site, but when EPA officers arrived on 11 November, 2025, they found the premises unattended and rubbish smouldering in a skip bin at the rear of the property.

Large quantities of metal amongst the ash led inspectors to determine it was industrial waste.

Uncontrolled burning off could contaminate the air, land and water, EPA Western Metropolitan Acting Regional Manager Carly McGregor warned.

“If you need to get rid of industrial waste, take it to a licensed landfill,” they said. “These premises follow strict, EPA-approved practices to contain and control potentially hazardous materials, and they are the only places you can legally dispose of them.

“It may seem like a cheaper option to store waste on your property and burn it off, but in the long run you will pay more in fines and clean-up costs.”

The public is fed up with waste dumping and will not tolerate operators who did the wrong thing.

Reporting dumping is as simple as picking up the phone and calling the EPA on 1300 372 842 and www.epa.vic.gov.au

The chances are you will be found out.

The fine is the maximum the EPA can impose without taking a case to court. Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Infringements Act 2006, the operator has the right to have the infringement notice reviewed or be considered by a court.