Kevin Peterson says he's given up on contacting authorities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The neighbour to the Common Street Recycling yard has waged a battle over several years to get action on the large pile of rubbish next to his and wife Noelline's home.
"Nothing has happened for three to six months. Some equipment has turned up but there's no movement," the elderly pensioner told the Post.
"It won't be gone before I am."
Over the years, the Petersons have complained of rats and other vermin from the yard and have taken up their concerns with the council and Environment Protection Authority.
But in fact the EPA has acted, giving the operator, Chris Eveston of Common Street Recycling Pty Ltd, an October 26 deadline to remove all waste from the site. It had to be disposed of at a lawful facility and no further material was to be brought to the location.
The Authority set the conditions in a licence revocation notice it issued to Mr Eveston last year. It alleged that he was no longer a "fit and proper" person under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 to hold the licence. The Authority also claimed that there was no authorised planning consent for the facility in place.
Read more
This followed advice from Goulburn Mulwaree Council that the consent expired in August, 2013.
Mr Eveston declined to comment, saying the matter was "subject to litigation".
The revocation notice, which took effect from December 21, 2018, required that no more than 3195 cubic metres of waste should be on the site by May 21, 2019.
But Mr Eveston disputed its contentions and appealed it in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
The parties negotiated conditions in a subsequent court mediation. However an EPA spokesman said the October, 2019 deadline for total removal still applied.
"The EPA has no evidence that the site owner has removed waste," she said.
She said the owner had indicated a combination of "financial issues and difficulties finding a landfill site to accept the waste".
But last December, Goulburn Mulwaree Council offered the company a discount rate of $184 per tonne (a $40 per tonne reduction) to dispose of the waste at its Sinclair Street landfill. Other items such as tyres, mattresses and fridges would be accepted at cost. These rates were only available until September 4 this year.
Council general manager Warwick Bennett told the Post that this offer still stood. While the company was keen to meet the EPA's deadline, he said it had been challenged by funds.
"They were not able to dispose of the waste as required by the court order," he said.
Mr Bennett said the council wasn't taking any separate legal action over the facility but was working in a support role with the EPA.
The EPA spokesman said it was now assessing its options to progress the matter and was committed to having waste removed from the site.
"The EPA understands neighbours' concerns about the site and is committed to ensuring it is cleared and safe for the community," she said.
"The community can report to the 24/7 Environment Line (131 555 or info@epa.nsw.gov.au) to raise concerns. The EPA is in regular contact with the council and community."
While you're with us...
Did you know the Goulburn Post is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up here.