Make premises a scheduled premises without a works approval, research development and demonstration approval or a notice, at Campbellfield on or about 5 April 2013, contrary to s.19A(3).

Store waste without a licence, at Campbellfield on or about 5 April 2013, contrary to s.27A(1A)(a).

The company specialises in treating solvent and other waste from paint and other related industries and held an EPA licence for its site at 98-100 Merola Way.

EPA officers went out to follow up on the fire and as part of the investigation found the company was storing more than 40,000 litres of waste from paint, ink and related industries at a nearby unlicensed factory. 

The officers found the waste was being stored in 1000 litre containers at the factory, which is where the company had been keeping its trucks.

Samples taken confirmed the waste was Category A – Prescribed Industrial Waste (PIW). Category A PIW requires the highest level of management due to its potential to be hazardous to human health and the environment.

Under the Environment Protection Act 1970, it is an offence to accept PIW, or to operate a facility that stores and treats PIW from other industries without an EPA licence or approval.

EPA issued the company with three notices requiring all industrial waste be removed from the unlicensed factory and that it clean up contamination that had occurred at the premises. The company complied with these notices.