Fuel supply company Park Pty Ltd has been fined $135,000 in the Land and Environment Court for spilling more than 11,000 litres of diesel from their fuel tanker at the Highlands Fuels petrol station which impacted Mittagong Creek on 3 June 2022.
The incident occurred when diesel was being delivered late at night on the Bowral site and hoses incorrectly connected by Park's driver meant fuel was drawn from an above-ground storage tank back up into the fuel tanker.
This resulted in diesel overflowing from the tanker for at least 10 minutes and an unknown proportion flowing down the stormwater drains and into Mittagong Creek.
EPA Executive Director Operations, Jason Gordon said this was an avoidable and serious incident that left a hazardous chemical to spill unchecked into the environment before the driver noticed and deactivated the pump.
"Inspections of Mittagong Creek the next day found the oily liquid, with tests downstream of the petrol station stormwater outlet indicating it was consistent with the diesel spill," Mr Gordon said.
"There was also land pollution caused at the petrol station despite the driver's initial attempts to clean up the diesel using a spill kit.
"Although the site and the creek have now been remediated, that doesn't detract from the seriousness of the incident which should not have occurred in the first place.
"Employee training by companies is absolutely critical when dealing with diesel and dangerous chemicals, and the EPA will not hesitate to take action when deficiencies in these areas contribute to pollution incidents."
Park Pty Ltd was ordered to pay $101,250 for water pollution, $33,750 for land pollution, $17,698 in EPA investigation costs and to pay the EPA's legal costs. Park Pty Ltd was also ordered to publish the offences and judgment details in the SMH, Prime Mover Magazine and Big Rigs Newspaper.
