Key Messages

Norstar Steel Recyclers is a steel recycling facility in Doherty's Road, Laverton North. On Monday 11 January, there was a fire in a pile of scrap metal at the site. For fighters controlled the fire after midnight.

There is no immediate threat to the community. We advise you to avoid the area. 

EPA’s role at Norstar Steel Recyclers

EPA sent staff to the site to:

• set up air quality monitoring equipment
• provide expert advice.

EPA advised the Incident Controller on the installation of a bund in a nearby drain. This is to trap any fire water for pumping out and disposal. However, most of the fire water was contained on the site.

EPA issued a 62B direction to Norstar to remove firewater contained on-site. As of 5pm Tuesday 12 January, all firewater was removed from the site.

Environmental monitoring at Norstar Steel Recyclers

During the fire incident, EPA monitored air quality in the area. We published the results on EPA AirWatch.

SES and EPA set up two incident air monitoring stations. This was to measure PM_2.5.

PM_2.5 are very small particles usually found in smoke. They have a diameter of 2.5 micrometres (0.0025 mm) or smaller.

We placed the monitoring stations near residential areas potentially impacted by smoke. We also operated mobile smoke monitoring equipment on one of our vehicles.

EPA officers monitored Kayes Drain for any off-site impacts, in-situ monitoring indicate the drain was not affected and samples have also been obtained for laboratory analysis.

Background about Norstar Steel Recycler’s site

In January 2020, EPA issued Norstar Steel Recyclers with two fines totalling $16,321. This was after a fire at the company’s Dandenong South plant in 2019.