The waste management facility as Surf Beach remains closed on Monday 13 January.
Fire first impacted the facility on Tuesday 31 December, with the waste disposal and green-waste mulch piles still to be fully extinguished. The NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire & Rescue NSW have assisted Council staff to manage the fire and specialist contractors arrived today to assess the damage and begin site repair.
Eurobodalla Council’s director of planning Lindsay Usher said tip waste needed to be fully extinguished before being recompacted and covered.
“If not completely out the waste will smoulder, keeping the site unsafe and causing problems into the future,” Mr Usher said.
“We won’t reopen the facility to the public until it’s safe.”
The Surf Beach facility is the shire’s largest tip. Mr Usher said all waste was now being directed to the Brou facility in the shire’s south.
“Clearly we have significant volumes of waste being moved around the shire,” he said.
“With significant property losses we have more waste than can be accommodated at our facilities, and we’re working with the NSW and Commonwealth Governments to remove fire related waste as quickly as possible, and with no or minimal cost to the community. We’ve lost so many buildings and some patience will be required.
“People must not disturb or remove fire related waste until approved to do so – many sites will have asbestos and other risks and these need to be investigated by licensed staff from NSW Public Works Authority before the okay can be given.”
Advisory signs are displayed on inspected properties, or contact the Public Works Authority on 1800 885 539 for property status.
