PAR Recycling Services P/L (PAR) based on the New South Wales Central Coast is disputing a $15,000 fine issued by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA has said that the business did not follow orders to store chemicals safely to prevent potential pollution reaching local waterways.
A representative of PAR told Inside Waste that “PAR respects the EPA and its commitment to the legislation, and PAR did its best to comply.”
According to the EPA, the company had been directed to take immediate action to appropriately store drums, bags and containers holding 18 different chemicals on November 14, 2019. Following an inspection, the EPA said it had found 15,265 litres of liquid chemicals and 6,550 kilograms of solid chemicals stored in an area that did not have a bund or spill containment system.
The EPA added in a statement that officers also discovered PAR Recycling did not have spill kits nearby to contain the chemicals in the event of a spill. PAR disputes this statement, claiming that spill kits were in place nearby the bunds that were constructed to store the chemicals.
The chemicals were removed from the premises on January 10, 2020.
EPA director Regulatory Operations Metro North, Adam Gilligan explained that the impact of not installing environmental and pollution controls could include wide-ranging harm on the surrounding water, land, air and human health.
“If the chemicals had spilt without containment, they could have entered the stormwater system and flowed to Piles Creek.
“Chemicals must be stored to prevent, control or minimise pollution and the EPA expects all operators to comply with the safety standards that are in place to protect the environment and the community.”
More updates will follow.
