- Published:
- Wednesday 24 December 2025 at 1:41 pm
The prohibition notice bans Victorian Recyclers Pty Ltd from accepting plastics at its factory on Clelland Rd, Brooklyn, until it reconfigures and reduces its waste stockpiles to meet EPA’s guidelines.
An EPA inspection on 18 October 2025 identified an immediate risk of harm due to the significant fire load and the presence of multiple potential ignition sources.
The inspecting officers found:
- Waste stacked along southern and western walls: cardboard, plastic, metal, e-waste, mixed waste containers
- Fire response equipment blocked by waste and machinery
- Empty gas cylinders against the front wall
- Plastic shredding machines littered with plastic waste; motors and wiring exposed
- Cigarette butts among shredded plastic and around machinery
EPA Western Metropolitan acting Regional Manager Carly McGregor says the inspection report showed an imminent risk of a fire that could burn for a substantial period and be difficult for fire services to control.
“EPA’s guidelines require all reasonable steps to be taken, starting with limits on stockpile size and sufficient space between stockpiles to allow firefighters to contain any fire without the whole premises becoming involved,” they said.
“The guidelines are easy to find, they can be downloaded from EPA’s website, there’s no excuse for not doing your best.”
EPA says the company must reconfigure its waste stockpiles, dispose of waste, clear space around firefighting equipment and the shredding machines, and get an electrician in to make sure the equipment is properly installed.
The company must report back to EPA on its compliance by 26 January 2026, with additional notices being issued and Officers conducting follow up inspections to assess compliance.
Updated