A New South Wales resident who knowingly purchased asbestos-contaminated land has been fined $15,000 after it was discovered that he processed asbestos from the site in an attempt to reuse it.
The resident from Putty, northwest of Sydney, processed the asbestos materials in a way that may have generated wind-borne fibres and caused environmental damage.
The NSW branch of the EPA issued two penalty notices to the man, Michael Laird, over illegal use of the property as a waste facility and the illegal reuse and recycling of asbestos at the site.
A report prepared before the property sale found that it was contaminated with close to 3,000 cubic metres of asbestos.
When questioned by the EPA, Mr Laird explained that he had processed the asbestos and used it to establish a building pad for the home he was building at the site.
The EPA alleged that the processing and reuse of the waste at the site may have resulted in significant environmental harm, including the generation of wind-borne asbestos fibres and contributed to further contamination of the property.