Please note: this is an archived news article release

This article was published on Thursday, 16 January, 2014. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Incorrect waste disposal can lead to fires

Each year for seven years there has been a fire in a collection truck in Greater Shepparton due to incorrect disposal of waste from residents.

A few fires have also been started at the Council’s landfill site ignited by material being disposed of incorrectly.

Greater Shepparton City Council organises waste collection through contractors and on Tuesday a contractor’s truck had to stop and offload its waste due to a fire starting in the truck from a battery jump starter pack that was placed in a waste bin.

Greater Shepparton City Council is urging residents to be diligent when placing items in their bins otherwise these items can ignite.

Council is reminding residents that some items that should not be placed in domestic waste bins. These include:

· All types of batteries

· Hot ashes

· Gas bottles

· Chemicals

· Liquids

· Bricks, concrete and steel (can damage the collection vehicles compactor)

· Tyres

· Wet lawn clippings and the like particularly when they have been bagged and may be subject to spontaneous combustion.

Residents can dispose of the following items for free at any Greater Shepparton City Council Transfer Station:

· Gas bottles

· Batteries (car batteries and household batteries)

· Cardboard (domestic only)

· Fluorescent globes

· Polystyrene

· Old TV, VRC and Computer monitors (until the Amnesty ends)

· Newspapers, plastic bottles, glass bottles

· Old paint tins

Items to dispose of for a fee:

· Bricks, concrete and steel

· Tyres

· Green Waste

· Chemicals

Mayor Jenny Houlihan said “everyone needs to play their part when it comes to waste disposal, for safety and for the environment. If you have a few unwanted items, please dispose of them correctly. This will then reduce the chances of the waste catching alight.”

For further information visit our website or view council’s videos about our waste on YouTube.

Youtube.com/greatershepp

Greatershepparton.com.au