Fire pit at Balliang East burns money too

A blazing fire pit on a Balliang East property turned into a money pit when EPA Victoria fined a Broadmeadows man more than $2,000 for burning industrial waste.

A member of the public reported the fire and EPA officers found it involved more than 1,000 litres of green waste and construction waste including timber, plastic and plaster.

EPA says it is becoming a familiar story; industrial waste being transported from the city to a country property for illegal disposal. In this case, the waste came from a residential demolition site in George Street, Reservoir.

EPA officers inspecting the property on Agars Road Balliang East in October 2025 found a large earthen pit with waste still smouldering and smoking, which made it a fire hazard to the community and environment.

EPA fined the man who had leased the property $2,035 for depositing waste by burning, which is an offence under Section 115 of the Environment Protection Act 2017.

EPA Southwest Regional Manager Martha-Rose Loughnane says anyone who thinks they can dump, burn and bury industrial waste on a rural property is wrong.

“It contaminates the air with smoke, the land with the burnt waste and nearby waterways with runoff,” Ms Loughnane said.

“It’s illegal, and any Victorian with a mobile phone can photograph it and report it to EPA in a matter of minutes,” she said.

EPA fined the Broadmeadows man and issued him with an Environmental Action Notice requiring that he cease burning waste, cease accepting waste, and clean up any stockpiled waste already on the site.

“In this case, the fine was issued to the man as a sole trader. A company committing the same offence could be fined more than $10,000. Larger offences can be taken to court, with potential penalties in the millions,” Ms Loughnane said.

Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Infringements Act 2006, the offender 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 (opens in a new window)