The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a $30,000 fine to Recycled Concrete Products Pty Ltd (RCP) after determining that the Tomago-based facility exceeded its licensed waste limits.
RCP, which processes used concrete, bricks, and pavers into materials such as road base, is permitted to handle 30,000 tonnes of concrete waste annually.
However, a review of the EPA’s waste and resource reporting data revealed that by August 2024—only five months into the reporting period—the company had already exceeded this limit by more than 4,000 tonnes.
By the eighth month, the facility had received nearly twice its permitted amount, NSW EPA said in a news release.
NSW EPA Executive Director Operations, Jason Gordon, said the agency is concerned about the breach, emphasizing the importance of licence limits in protecting the environment and the community.
“Our licence limits are devised to help protect the environment and community by controlling the amount of waste processed onsite and reduce the risk of possible pollution such as contaminated water runoff and dust,” Gordon said.
“Any proposed changes to operation limits need approval to ensure the appropriate environmental protections are in place. Despite our warnings that it was an offence to continue receiving waste, the company proceeded to unlawfully receive an additional 20,000 tonnes between September and November 2024.”
“This is a clear breach of licence limits and a failure to follow EPA requirements, which is not acceptable. In addition to this fine, we will be maintaining very close oversight to ensure compliance with these licence conditions moving forward.”
As a result of the EPA’s intervention, RCP has been unable to accept waste since December 2024 following the issuance of an EPA Prevention Notice.
The facility is expected to resume operations by the end of March 2025, provided compliance with licence conditions is maintained.
