Maryborough fridge cemetery cleaned up after fine and Direction Notice

Issued: 1 Jun 2021

A Maryborough waste operator has cleaned up thousands of illegally stored fridges following a series of compliance actions by the Department of Environment and Science (DES).

Following a tipoff to the Pollution Hotline by a member of the public, DES’s Unlicensed Waste Team conducted a site inspection on 9 December 2010.

A $2,669 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) was issued to the operator, who was a sole trader, for unlawfully receiving and storing the fridges (conducting an environmental activity) without an environmental authority.

The same offence conducted by a company attracts a $13,345 fine.

The operator was ordered to cease receiving waste and to immediately clean up the property.

Unlicensed waste activities that have not been assessed or licensed by DES can pose a risk to the environment and to local communities.

Taking strong compliance action against illegal operators helps protect Queensland’s licensed waste operators who play an important role in managing the state’s waste and recycling needs.

The Unlicensed Waste Team worked with the operator to ensure the property was cleaned up, and a recent inspection showed all fridges had been removed.

As part of the department’s ongoing compliance program, the Unlicensed Waste Team will continue to identify and investigate illegal waste operations to help protect the environment, support jobs and safeguard the health of Queenslanders.

Community reports play a vital role in helping DES identify and investigate environmental risks from the storage and stockpiling of waste.

To report an issue in your local area, phone the Pollution Hotline on 1300 130 372 (option 2).