Different types of waste and recyclable materials can be combustible. This means they can easily catch fire and burn. Some of these materials are defined in the Environment Protection Regulations 2021(opens in a new window) as 'specified combustible recyclable and waste material'. There are legal requirements for managing these.
Specified combustible waste materials include:
- paper and cardboard
- wood
- plastic
- rubber, tyres and tyre-derived waste
- textiles
- refuse-derived fuel
- electronic waste (e-waste)
- metal and other materials with combustible contaminants
- combustible by-products of metal processing activities, such as floc.
Specified combustible waste and the law
The general environmental duty applies to the management of recyclable and waste materials. This means you must eliminate or reduce the risk of fire so far as reasonably practicable. For more information, visit Manage fire risk at your business.
If you're responsible for a fire that harms the environment or human health, the duty to take action to respond to harm caused by a pollution incident may apply.
There are waste duties that apply to managing industrial waste from fires. To learn more, visit Understand your waste obligations and duties.
Waste and resource recovery facilities that receive, store or process waste generated at another site must:
- meet the duties of persons receiving industrial waste
- have a permission.
The type of permission you need depends on:
- the overall amount of waste
- the amount of specified combustible recyclable and waste material you receive or store at any time.
Usually this is an A13 permission. The 3 types of A13 permissions are:
- A13a – Waste and resource recovery (large) development licence and operating licence
- A13b – Waste and resource recovery (medium) development licence and permit
- A13c – Waste and resource recovery (small) registration.
Other permissions may also apply, depending on your activities. To check if you need a permission, visit Find which permission you need.
If you hold a permission, you must comply with any permission conditions.
Our role in specified combustible waste
We work with industry and co-regulators to prevent fires at waste and resource recovery facilities by:
- inspecting premises across Victoria
- improving understanding of fire risk and the controls needed to prevent fires
- increasing compliance with the general environmental duty and waste duties
- imposing permission conditions for the waste and resource recovery sector.
We have a no-tolerance approach to unsafe waste practices that can present a risk of fire. Where there is non-compliance, we take action following our Compliance and enforcement policy.
Impact of combustible waste on health and the environment
Any combustible waste – including specified combustible waste – can cause harm when it catches fire.
Smoke can impact air quality and is harmful to human health. For more information, visit Smoke and your health.
Fires can cause significant damage to the environment. Smoke can impact air quality. Toxic firewater run-off, including firefighting chemicals, can enter local creeks and waterways. To learn more about fire waste, including toxic firewater run-off, visit Waste from fires.
Manage specified combustible waste
To help meet your duties and obligations for managing and storing specified combustible recyclable and waste materials, you should:
- assess your fire hazards and the risk from fire
- eliminate the fire risk where you can
- put controls in place to minimise risks that cannot be eliminated, including effective storage management controls
- prepare an emergency management plan.
Refer to Manage and store combustible recyclable and waste materials for information on how to do this.
Learn how to manage fire risk at your business.
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