NSW EPA Responds to Dust Management Issues
Dial-A-Dump (EC) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Bingo Industries Limited, has been fined $30,000 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for a licence breach related to dust management at its Eastern Creek facility. This decision came after the EPA received numerous community complaints about dust emissions in the area.
On 11 March, EPA officers conducted an inspection of the facility. They observed intermittent dust emissions emanating from a conveyor belt system located at the rear of one processing building. there was noticeable accumulated dust, debris, and litter on some of the machinery. These findings led to immediate action from the EPA.
Jacinta Hanemann, the NSW EPA Director of Operations, credited the surrounding community for their vigilance in reporting these environmental concerns. “Dust is a serious issue for the surrounding community, and I thank those residents who reported their concerns to us,” she stated.
Community Concerns and EPA Actions
In response to the findings, the EPA issued a clean-up notice to Dial-A-Dump. This notice requires the company to undertake a series of immediate, medium, and long-term actions. These actions include cleaning up the accumulated dust, debris, and litter and devising a long-term engineering solution to reduce dust emissions from the conveyor belt system.
Ms. Hanemann expressed the EPA’s commitment to ongoing monitoring of the facility. “Although dust from this part of the site is highly unlikely to be impacting nearby homes, we will continue to inspect this facility and monitor compliance with the licence,” she added. The EPA is also collaborating with Blacktown City Council to address other potential dust sources in the Eastern Creek industrial precinct, aiming to minimise the impact on the community.
The fine of $30,000 was imposed due to the facility’s failure to properly maintain and operate equipment, which directly contributed to the dust management issues. The EPA’s efforts emphasise the importance of adhering to environmental standards to protect community health.
Residents are encouraged to report any pollution concerns, including dust, to the EPA’s Environment Line. It is vital to include information such as location, time, and weather conditions to facilitate effective investigations.
