Whitehaven Coal illegally dumps combustible canisters at Narrabri tip, causes several fires

Over a period of three weeks in April, a number of small fires broke out in the general waste section of the Narrabri landfill.

Narrabri Shire Council found the source of the fires were canisters used in breathing apparatus of workers at the nearby underground coal mine.

More than 100 individual canisters were found, which contain chemicals that combust when exposed to moisture.

"Council also advised that the canisters were found in double black bags, mixed in with general solid waste loads delivered by Namoi Waste," the EPA said.

The company was issued with a clean up noticed and required to dispose of the canisters properly.

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The mine was also fined $15,000 for creating "large clouds of black coal dust" from the pit top working area of Narrabri Underground Mine on January 5.

Whitehaven declined to comment on either incident.

Lock the Gate spokeperson Georgina Woods said the company had a terrible track record when it came to abiding by its licence conditions.

"These two separate pollution incidents demonstrate a disdain for the effects of the mine on the public and the environment," Ms Woods said.

"The EPA has fined Whitehaven for not operating its mine in a competent manner. That seems to us a pretty serious breach of the public trust.

"It's actually the second time this year that Whitehaven has been chipped by the EPA for carrying out mining in a less than competent manner - they admitted doing so at the company's Rocglen mine in the Land and Environment Court three months ago."

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