A Mildura man faces a pricey clean-up after EPA Victoria officers caught him with a burnt pile of waste on a property at Irymple.

The man has been fined $1,849 for unlawfully depositing more than 1,000 litres of waste by burning.

EPA officers responded to the Irymple property on 10 November 2022 to find a stockpile of burnt waste 6 metres long, 4 metres wide and 2.5 metres high.

The stockpile contained steel wire, burnt chipboard, drums, glass, burnt treated timber posts, piping that may have contained asbestos, and wire that looked like it had come from an old tyre.

EPA Victoria Regional Manager Dr Scott Pigdon says burning waste like this is not just illegal, it is hazardous.

“Mixed types of waste like this can produce toxic smoke as they burn, then pollute the land as the remains decay. The waste can even contaminate the water, impacting on neighbouring farmlands,” Dr Pigdon said.

“Anyone burning waste like this might think they are saving money, but there are many recyclable wastes that don’t attract any disposal fees and paying landfill fees is considerably cheaper than an EPA fine and clean-up costs,” he said.

EPA has issued the Mildura man with an Environmental Action Notice that orders him to remove the burnt waste to a licensed place for disposal, and then show EPA the proper documentation to prove he has done it.

Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Infringements Act 2006, the man has the right to have the infringement notice reviewed or be considered by a court.

Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution