Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has laid 14 charges against an individual under the Environment Protection Act 1970 following a comprehensive investigation into the storage of industrial waste and asbestos on a premises at Garfield.
The charges allege that the individual:
• dumped, deposited, discarded, or abandoned asbestos and construction and demolition waste at a place not licensed to accept it;
• was the occupier of a scheduled premises at which waste, including asbestos and construction and demolition waste, was deposited without a licence;
• was the occupier of a scheduled premises at which waste, including asbestos and construction and demolition waste, was stored, contained, disposed of or handled without a licence;
• was the occupier of a premises who made those premises a scheduled premises without a works approval, a research development and demonstration approval or a notice issued by the Authority;
• contravened the requirements of a clean up notice issued by EPA Victoria that required identification and removal of all asbestos and asbestos-containing waste at the premises, removal of all industrial waste from the premises engaging an independent person to conduct an inspection of the premises and issue a clearance certificate; and
• contravened reporting requirements of a clean up notice issued by EPA Victoria that required a plan for safe removal of the asbestos and asbestos-containing waste from the premises and reports detailing how clean-up and ongoing management of the premises would be achieved and had been achieved.
The charges relate to criminal offences under sections 19, 27, 27A and 62A of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
EPA guidelines regarding how to appropriately store and dispose of industrial waste are available at www.epa.vic.gov.au
