Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has laid 24 additional charges over a 2020 fire and e-waste stockpiling breaches at a premises in Sydney Rd Campbellfield.
The additional charges are against two Directors of MRI (Aust) Pty Ltd. They each face the same 12 charges with which the company was charged in May 2021.
The charges under the Environment Protection Act 1970 allege that they caused pollution of the atmosphere and the waters of Merlynston Creek and Foden Reserve as a result of a fire on 9 August 2020, as well as contravening certain conditions of the company's licence relating to the storage of e-waste at its premises.
Further charges allege that between December 2019 and August 2020, they contravened a condition of the licence which placed limits on the quantity of e-waste stored at the premises, and also contravened the requirement of an EPA Minor Works Pollution Abatement Notice that the business cease accepting e-waste until it reduced the amount of such waste stored at its premises.
Pollution of waters and pollution of the atmosphere are indictable criminal offences under sections 39 and 41 of the Environment Protection Act 1970 respectively, with a maximum penalty of $396,528.
Contravening the requirements of a licence is an indictable criminal offence under section 27 of the Environment Protection Act 1970, also with a maximum penalty of $396,528.
Contravening the requirements of a Minor Works Pollution Abatement Notice is a summary criminal offence under section 31B of the Environment Protection Act 1970, with a maximum penalty of $49,566.
The storage of waste is regulated under the Victorian Government's Waste Management Policy (Combustible Recyclable and Waste Materials), which is available here: epa.vic.gov.au/for-business/find-a-topic/manage-industrial-waste/crwm#crwm-guideline
