North St Marys fire
On Saturday 29 November 2025, a large chemical fire occurred at Coopers Environmental Waste Recycling Pty Ltd (Coopers Environment), in North St Marys.
The premises receives and stores hazardous chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and is licensed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
The EPA has commenced an investigation into the incident.
Incident response
The EPA responded to the incident in the early hours of Sunday 30 November 2025, with sampling commencing the same day.
We are closely overseeing the environmental clean-up and have issued a Clean Up Notice to Coopers Environmental, requiring the company to immediately prevent the migration of pollution from the premises and remove oil from the impacted areas.
So far, clean-up contractors have removed 604,000 litres of liquid waste, including 233,000 litres from the Coopers site and 371,000 litres from South Creek / Wianamatta and a nearby tributary via 84 tanker loads.
The clean-up crews are using oil skimmers, absorbent booms and vacuum tankers to remove the oil.
The EPA is conducting comprehensive sampling in the area, including water quality monitoring in nearby creeks, soil, dust and ash sampling. This work includes testing for polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.
The remaining waste and oil residues contain PCBs, which present a risk of harm to those who come into direct contact with it. PCBs are hazardous chemicals historically used in transformers as coolants and have been banned since the 1980s and are being gradually phased out of older electrical equipment.
EPA staff have also distributed more than 300 letters with information and advice to homes and businesses in the surrounding area.
Community advice
Community members should stay clear of the impacted area including waterways while clean-up operations are being undertaken.
The public should avoid contact with the unnamed creek adjacent to the facility on Kurrajong Road, and South Creek / Wianamatta until its junction with Hawkesbury River, while clean-up operations are underway.
Road closures and exclusion zones have been imposed around the facility to prevent community members from entering the site.
If you are a resident and have identified waste material or waste residues on your property that you think may be associated with the fire, please avoid contact with the waste. Report it to the EPA’s Environment Line on 131 555 or by emailing [email protected].
NSW Health advises if you have direct contact with the waterway or material from the fire, wash your skin with soap and water.
Advice for businesses
We recommend all businesses that have been affected by liquid waste, oils or residues from the incident seek further advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as an occupational hygienist to undertake a site-specific assessment to identify any risks and safety measures required.
If businesses have further questions, please contact the NSW Environment Line on 131 555 or by emailing [email protected].
Water quality monitoring
The EPA is conducting comprehensive water quality monitoring downstream of the site to assess and manage impacts to the environment.
We're monitoring for dissolved oxygen in South Creek / Wianamatta. The test results will be shared on this page as appropriate for the community’s awareness.
Temporary ban on water pumping from South Creek / Wianamatta
WaterNSW advises customers that the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) have issued a temporary restriction (section 324 order) on taking water from the South Creek / Wianamatta water source between 11 Kurrajong Road, North St Marys downstream to the junction with the Hawkesbury River.
More information is available on the Wianamatta-South Creek Water Source 2025 web page on the DCCEEW website.