EPA fines three waste companies for odour issues as part of an ongoing compliance campaign in the Eastern Creek area
Media release: 1 August 2012
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued penalty notices to three waste facilities in Eastern Creek and Kemps Creek in the latest action in an ongoing odour compliance campaign in the area.
The Eastern Creek Waste Management Centre and UR-3R Facility both in Wallgrove Road Eastern Creek, as well as the SITA Advanced Waste Treatment Facility in Elizabeth Drive Kemps Creek – were all issued with $1500 penalty notices on July 27 for offensive odours emitted from their sites.
The odours were detected as part of odour surveillance operations undertaken by EPA staff in response to resident complaints.
Since April this year staff have conducted 31 unannounced odour audits in the Eastern Creek, Erskine Park, St Mary’s, Kemps Creek and St Clair areas, including late night and early morning surveys and site inspections.
Chief Environmental Regulator Mark Gifford said the EPA will continue to exert a strong presence in the area as it worked to detect and minimise the source of odours that have plagued residents.
“The EPA has heard the complaints of residents and is working hard to try and identify and correct the problems,” Mr Gifford said.
“In the last three months the EPA has conducted 31 unnanounced odour surveillances, issued four penalty notices, one licence variation, and required the clean up of a site suspected of contributing to off-site odours.
“In addition officers conducted a blitz of seven EPA licensed facilities in the St Mary’s area and referred a council regulated poultry farm to council for follow-up after detecting off-site odours emanating from the site.”
Mr Gifford said that residents will get the chance to hear firsthand about the EPA’s campaign as well as what industry is doing to address the odour problems, at a community meeting to be held in Erskine Park on Monday, August 6.
“The EPA along with local landfill and recycling operators will be on hand at the forum to outline their actions to reduce odour impacts on the community and to answer questions,” Mr Gifford said.
Contact: Liza Cassidy
Page last updated: 03 August 2012
