By Danielle Kutchel
Embattled recycling giant SKM has announced that it will immediately cease collecting recyclable materials – including those from the Casey and Cardinia regions.
The Environment Protection Authority has ordered Glass Recovery Services, a separate company that is next door to SKM’s Coolaroo recycling site but that is owned by the same people, to stop accepting material due to fire risk. As a result, SKM has stopped accepting materials at its recycling site next door. SKM has been contacted for comment to clarify the situation.
In a media release posted to the organisation’s website, EPA Resource Recovery facilities audit taskforce manager Danny Childs said the notice follows failure by the company to comply with previous EPA notices requiring it to address risks that its stockpiles posed to the community and the environment if there had been a larger fire.
“The company’s stockpiles are in breach of the Waste Management Policy and it cannot receive further combustible waste at the site until EPA is satisfied it has gained compliance,” Mr Childs said.
“A large volume of glass waste it has received at the site has been contaminated with other types of waste, such as mixed plastics and paper and has resulted in an increased fire risk within stockpiles.”
It follows a similar closure of SKM sites earlier this year, that saw recycling diverted to landfill for several weeks.
SKM has contacted local councils which will be impacted, including the City of Casey.
City of Casey manager sustainability and waste, Michael Jansen, said the council had been advised of the closure late on Thursday 25 July.
As a result of the closure, Casey will send its recyclable materials to landfill.
“Sending recyclable material to landfill always remains a last resort, however there is limited spare capacity in the Victorian recycling industry,” he said.
“For the majority of councils who utilise SKM including Casey, the only immediate option available is to send recyclable materials to landfill until the matter is resolved or a viable alternative becomes available.
“We are advised by SKM that this disruption is temporary. The collection of household recycling bins will continue as normal during this time.”
He said that Casey was working with the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group and other affected councils to develop other solutions, both short and long term, to manage the city’s recycling.
“Residents can assist by reducing their waste and continuing to place the correct items in each bin. Residents can also assist by squashing, squeezing and flattening their recycling so more fits into the bin, and only put the recycling bin out for collection once it is full. If the matter is resolved quickly this will mean their recyclables may still be recovered at the next collection,” Mr Jansen said.
