Allegations of corruption within the NSW waste industry and environmental protection authority have been referred to the state's corruption watchdog.
NSW Environment Protection Authority chief executive Barry Buffier on Wednesday said he'd referred allegations of corruption within his organisation and the state's waste industry to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
"The EPA has the toughest waste regulations in the country and puts significant effort into regulating the waste industry, monitoring compliance and taking enforcement action, and that work will continue," Mr Buffier said in a statement.
The move comes after the ABC's Four Corners program revealed waste companies were shipping tonnes of rubbish over the border and dumping it in Queensland to avoid NSW's waste levy.
This was followed by the publication of alleged recordings of EPA Waste and Resource Recovery executive director Stephen Beaman mocking the government's own interstate waste-tracking system.
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"We (NSW) take their mangoes, they (Queensland) can take our waste. So that's the reality of it," Mr Beaman allegedly says in the recording.
Mr Buffier on Wednesday said Mr Beaman would be taking four weeks "recreation leave" effective immediately.
Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton supports the EPA's decision to refer the matter to ICAC but blames the Queensland government for the waste heading north.
"We've had the Queensland premier on the radio this morning crying crocodile tears when it comes to the movement of waste between our two states," Ms Upton said during question time.
"It's gone on for three years, all the Queensland premier has to do is reintroduce the waste levy and this issue will go away."
Both sides of Queensland politics have ruled out reintroducing a waste levy to stop the truckloads of rubbish being driven north.
Queensland officials will, however, carry out border checks in a crackdown on waste transport operators entering the state to dump rubbish.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been contacted for comment.
