Moorebank recycling company, Paper Trade Processing (Aust) Pty Ltd, has been convicted and fined $50,000 for breaching its environment protection licence by receiving excessive amounts of waste at its Heathcote Rd premises.
Paper Trade Processing’s licence issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) limits the amount of waste that can be received and processed at its facility to 28,000 tonnes per year.
The company pleaded guilty in Liverpool Local Court to receiving approximately 52,000 tonnes of waste between May 2020 and April 2021, and approximately 34,000 tonnes between May 2021 and December 2021.
At a hearing on 4 July, Liverpool Local Court Magistrate Abdul-Karim said the company’s offences were committed recklessly, and that it obtained a financial benefit. However, he said there was no evidence of actual environmental harm and no evidence of direct risk of harm.
Magistrate Abdul-Karim noted that the company had cooperated with the EPA in its investigation and the offences were brought to the EPA’s attention because it had complied with its waste reporting obligations.
However, he noted deterrence was particularly important given the company’s prior convictions for breaching its licence conditions
Paper Trade Processing was fined $50,000 ($25,000 per offence), with of 50 per cent of the fine to be paid to the EPA. The company was also instructed to publish a notice of the offences at its own cost in Inside Waste magazine and pay the EPA’s legal costs of $6,165.50.
NSW EPA Acting Executive Director Regulatory Operations Greg Sheehy said the court’s finding and sentence would act as a deterrent to businesses, showing that non-compliance with Environment Protection Licence conditions would be met with the full force of the law.
“Licence conditions are put in place to help prevent and monitor pollution by industry, ensure cleaner production and encourage the implementation of best practice,” he said.
“Businesses that breach their licence conditions increase the risk of serious environmental damage. Exceeding the amount of allowed waste at a paper processing facility like this one could in the event of fire, flood or storm result in a significant pollution event.”
