No extension on deadline to move high-risk soft plastic stockpiles

Published: 24 April 2023

Released by: Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Minister for Environment and Heritage

Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe MLC, has welcomed that the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has maintained its position that Australia’s major retailers, Coles and Woolworths, will not receive more time to move high-risk soft plastic stockpiles.

The EPA has requested that Coles and Woolworths must move stockpiles of soft plastics from 8 high-risk sites by 12 May 2023 as per the deadline in the original notices.

The retailers have been granted an extension for the removal of stockpiles at 7 sites classified as “low-medium” risk.

Coles and Woolworths have had ten weeks to eliminate the potential fire and pollution risk posed by the stockpiling of about 5200 tonnes of soft plastic after being served final Clean-up Notices. This decision strikes the right balance between reducing risk and being practical to fix the problem.

The retailers must also work on developing a lawful solution for the materials.

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