The head of Victoria’s waste industry group has called on the government to take a tougher line against cowboy recycling companies, condemning them for putting profiteering above valuing human life.
“As long as they put themselves above the law in their commercial endeavours, and put their own business interests ahead of human life, we should get tougher.” Deputy Opposition Leader Peter Walsh said recycling businesses operating illegally had to face the consequences. The calls for tougher penalties came as a rogue timber recycling company that was fined in February for illegally stockpiling combustible waste was banned on Monday from accepting more flammable material after a fire lit up the site last month and took more than 70 CFA firefighters to control.