FOLLOWING a government health warning for Brooklyn residents to stay inside on hot, windy days, six companies have been put on notice for causing or being likely to cause dust pollution.
The Environment Protection Authority issued pollution abatement notices to each of the six companies, demanding they act to ensure that no dust is visible beyond their site boundary.
As reported by the Advertiser last month, residents are breathing in dust levels usually associated with a bushfire.
Air quality monitoring by the EPA found dust particles exceeded acceptable levels [50 micrograms per cubic metre] on 13 days out of 100.
The six companies are Brooklyn Materials Recovery, Chalmers Industries, Hanson Construction and City Circle Demolition, all in Brooklyn; Delta Recycling in Altona North; and Victorian Container Management in Tottenham.
When contacted by this newspaper, most of the companies referred questions to head office or some other person. All respondents said they were not the appropriate person to speak to or claimed ignorance of pollution matters in and around Brooklyn.
EPA senior manager Matt Vincent said companies failing to clean up their act voluntarily could be forced to do so.
"Those who fail to address the dust issues on their sites may face enforcement," he said.
Any company found to be in breach of regulations faces an EPA fine of $5841 or prosecution.
The EPA has engaged consultants to provide expert advice and support to businesses.
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