A Lara man has been convicted and fined $3,000 on a charge from EPA Victoria after he failed to clean up several piles of industrial waste including some that had been set on fire.
The charge came after EPA issued Dean Cocks with an Environmental Action Notice (EAN), requiring him to remove stockpiles of industrial waste from his property at Lara, and provide a verified report that the waste had been sent for proper disposal. The piles included mainly sawn and waste timber both treated and untreated, concrete and ceramic tiles.
EPA became aware of the industrial waste in August 2023, when a member of the public reported smoke and fire on the property. EPA officers, firefighters and the council fire prevention officer observed piles of construction and demolition waste at the premises, including the burnt remains of other fires.
There were two main stockpiles, including one that measured approximately 23 metres long and 10 metres wide and 2 metres high. There were also smaller stockpiles of chipped timber waste contaminated with plastics.
The property is approximately 1.5 kilometres from Lara and within proximity of homes and Barwon Prison. EPA told the Court the nature of the industrial waste and the way it had been stored posed a risk to the community and the environment, particularly should a fire occur in the area.
EPA issued the regulatory notice in September 2023, giving Cocks five months to comply, but later checks confirmed the industrial waste was still there.
The Court also made a restoration order under the Environment Protection Act, ordering the man to remove the industrial waste from the property and dispose of it at a place that is authorised to receive waste of that kind.
The call that started the investigation was one of more than 25,000 pollution reports that EPA receives from the public every year.
Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA's 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
