By Laura Michell
Another four warehouses in Hume are being investigated amid concerns they are being used to illegally store chemicals.
WorkSafe has revealed the contents of three warehouses in Craigieburn and one in Campbellfield are being assessed by its investigation team, the MFB and Environment Protection Authority.
It follows the discovery of illegally stored chemicals in eight warehouses in Epping and Campbellfield in December.
In a statement, WorkSafe said the latest warehouses appeared to be housing bulk containers similar to those being stored at the other sites. Chemical testing will be carried out to establish the contents of the warehouses, while the air quality at the sites is also being monitored.
WorkSafe said it was still investigating how the chemicals ended up in the warehouses.
A taskforce was set up in January to remove the chemicals from four warehouses. The first chemicals were removed from one of the Epping sites last month.
The discovery of four more warehouses comes as Hume council urges authorities to do more to stop “rogue operators” from illegally stockpiling dangerous chemicals in the municipality.
Councillors have written to Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and the EPA calling for better processes to help councils and other agencies recoup clean-up costs from those behind the stockpiles.
Cr Naim Kurt blasted those responsible for the stockpiles, which he labelled “alarming”.
“The ability of those who clean up those messes to claim back the clean-up from operators is not up to standard at the moment,” he said.
“There needs to be a better way of recouping the costs from these rogue operators so taxpayers are not left out of pocket.”
Councillors Drew Jessop and Jack Medcraft agreed, saying the stockpiles had created a dangerous situation.
