EPA fines Tuggerah demolition business
Unlawful asbestos storage.
The operator of Tuggerah Demolition & Excavation has been fined $7,500 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority for the unlawful storage of asbestos waste.
EPA, SafeWork and RID Squad officers inspected the site in November last year as part of a joint campaign and discovered the business was storing up to 16.9 tonnes of asbestos waste.
Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act all businesses receiving 5 tonnes of special waste or more must hold a current Environment Protection Licence.
EPA A/Director Waste Compliance, Cate Woods, said Environment Protection Licences are a means to control the localised, cumulative and acute impacts of pollution.
“Licences outline requirements for waste storage and are an integral way of ensuring harmful substances stay out of the local community and environment.
“Even the temporary storage of asbestos, if not undertaken according to the regulations can increase the risk of harm to the community and the environment.”
Penalty notices are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance including formal warnings, official cautions, licence conditions, notices and directions and prosecutions. For more information about the EPA’s regulatory tools, see the EPA Compliance Policy at www.epa.nsw.gov.au/legislation/prosguid.htm