By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An accused dust polluter in Hallam faces a possible fine after missing its first reporting deadline to the state environment watchdog.
Folino Plant Hire, which runs Supreme Organic Soils on O’Grady Road, could be fined more than $7700 for failing to file a site layout plan to alleviate the clouds of dust plaguing neighbouring businesses and homes.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria regional manager Marleen Matthias said the EPA was following up with Folino to understand why the 31 May deadline was not met.
When asked about Folino’s compliance, company director Frank Folino told Star News: “That’s between me and the EPA.”
Folino had been slapped with an EPA pollution abatement notice requiring it to stop dust plumes escaping from its mulch, soil and grass yard.
Both Folino and a neighbouring mulch yard owned by Bark King Group have been given until 31 August to increase their dust control measures and not impact on their neighbours.
Unlike Folino, Bark King had submitted its required site layout plan to the EPA by 31 May.
The EPA is assessing the plan, which was required to set out the orientation and location of its mulch piles, grinding and screening plant and loading bays to prevent dust emissions.
Bark King manager Stuart Johnston told Star News: “You work around these things.”
If the companies fail to comply with the order, they face fines of up to $770,300.
According to the notices, excessive rates of dust deposits from the yards had coated a neighbouring industrial workplace.
The highest reading of dust in nearby Bolt Court was 9.42 grams per square metre per month in January – more than double the four-gram amenity standard in NSW.
“Numerous potential sources of dust are present on your premises and likely to be a source of dust emissions,” the notices stated to Bark King Group and Folino Plant Hire.
Hampton Park residents living about 300 metres south of the yards have also long complained of dust pollution.
The residents in Rowland Close and Glenora Way report regular and severe hay-fever, skin hives, asthma attacks, coughing and sore eyes suffered by children, young and old residents alike.
Nearby workers tell of the need to hose down vehicles daily and to keep factory doors constantly closed due to the dusty emissions.
The EPA has confirmed that O’Grady Road, which is unsealed and Casey council-managed, was not the “primary contributor” of the dust.
