THE Environment Protection Authority has fined a West Wimmera man more than $5000 for illegally dumping demolition waste, including asbestos, at three properties.
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Authority north west manager Danny Childs said the man was issued with three penalty infringement notices last week, totalling $5,460, for illegally dumping the waste at three separate farmland properties in the shire.
“The waste has come from three buildings located on the properties, that were burnt, demolished and then buried on site,” he said.
“The authority has also issued the man with three clean up notices requiring the removal of all demolition waste and asbestos from the three sites.”
Mr Childs said the authority launched its investigation following an anonymous pollution report from in November last year.
He said the authority was ramping up its campaign against illegal waste disposal to reduce the 350,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste dumped in Victoria every year.
“In 2014-15, EPA issued 129 remedial notices relating to illegal dumping - 70 per cent of these notices involved the dumping of construction and demolition wastes such as concrete, asbestos, timber and bricks.”
Construction and demolition type waste is classified as industrial waste under the Environment Protection Regulations 2009.
This material can only be disposed of at sites permitted or licensed to accept it.
West Wimmera Shire general manager Robyn Evans said the shire would investigate the issue.
“We will look at whether any associated planning or building permits were sourced and adhered to,” she said.
“It is an EPA issue, but there is still some administrative investigations we will do.”
