The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has uncovered ‘hundreds of tonnes’ of hazardous materials, allegedly illegally dumped in Tasmania’s North-West and North regions.
The waste is suspected to be a by-product of scrap metal shredding, containing shredded plastics, foam, rubber, fabrics, wood fibres, soil, metals, hydrocarbons and other chemicals.
The EPA says the waste is believed to have been “misrepresented as inert waste, general waste or a type of ‘fill’.”
“Chemical analysis of samples of this scrap metal processing waste from sites suspected of having received it shows that it contains cadmium, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and other contaminants,” the EPA say.
The waste has been traced to several sites, including private landfills, a municipal landfill and a privately owned paddock.
The EPA have assessed the material, which they say is not soil, “as having the characteristics of a level 4 contaminated soil” – the highest level of contamination.
Due to the environmental risks, the ‘only safe disposal option’ is at a facility in the state’s south, which would require transportation by registered controlled waste operators.
An investigation is currently underway into the incident, with other councils, private landfill operators and landowners contacted to determine if additional sites have received or been approached to receive this waste.
Anyone with concerns about illegal dumping is asked to contact the EPA on its incident response hotline on 1800 005 171 or email [email protected].
