A New South Wales resident has been fined by the state’s Environmental Protection Authority over illegally dumping 1250 tonnes of waste at a property he was renting.
The EPA prosecuted John Cannuli in the Penrith Local Court this week, where, following the court’s ruling, they noted that the pile of unauthorised waste at the site was “enormous”.
The waste was dumped on top of an established heap and was comprised of 356 tonnes of material containing asbestos and 900 tonnes of general waste. The waste was trucked from Dulwich Hill to the affected property
Following the court’s ruling, the EPA released a statement on Thursday saying the “enormous” pile contained 356 tonnes of material comprising asbestos and over 900 tonnes of general solid waste.
The debris was trucked from the inner city suburb of Dulwich Hill 56km west to a rural property at Luddenham. The defendant had been paid to “dispose of the waste correctly”, explained EPA director of regulatory operations Carmen Dwyer. She noted that he “chose to pollute the environment and avoid any disposal fees”.
“About 45 truckloads of waste were taken from the excavation site to the property over a period of two days, with some of these loads containing asbestos,” she said.
“It is critical asbestos is disposed of appropriately to protect our communities and reduce any risk of exposure.”
Individuals illegally handling asbestos-containing materials can attract fines of up to $7500, with the penalty increasing to $15,000 for companies. Matters heard in court can see fines of up to $1 million imposed.