Recycling to continue

19 February 2019 - Media release

With news that Melbourne based recycler, SKM Services, has stopped accepting material, Campaspe Shire Council is encouraging the community to continue recycling household waste with no impact on its residents.

Mayor, Cr Adrian Weston said SKM Services has been ordered by the Environment Protection Authority to stop accepting recyclable waste at its Coolaroo and Laverton sites due to concerns with stockpiled material.

“This has resulted in affected councils being forced to find alternative solutions for household recyclable materials in the interim,” Cr Weston said.

“Whilst this is of concern to us and the impact it has on the environment, it does not impact our residents with our contractor, Veolia, taking and sorting materials locally, at a centre in Echuca.”

“This means materials collected from our kerbside recycle bins is processed locally, with the majority of recovered materials ending up in Australian markets.”

The EPA notices follow a fire at the Coolaroo site in 2017 that burned for 11 days and sent clouds of smoke across Melbourne. Another fire broke out at the company’s South Geelong plant last year.

SKM Services has contracts with multiple councils in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

“This is an unfortunate situation, particularly after the recycling sector was affected by China refusing to accept low grade material last year,” Cr Weston said.

“As a member of the Goulburn Valley Waste & Resource Recovery Group, staff will continue working with the industry and Victorian Government to ensure issues within the sector do not impact our residents.”