A Mount Rascal resident has removed more than 100 tonnes of illegally dumped concrete waste and received a fine following a visit by the Department of Environment and Science (the department).
David Cook, Manager of the department's Unlicensed Waste Team (UWT) said after a tipoff from a member of the public, departmental officers conducted a site inspection of the property on 29 March 2021 and discovered the concrete waste.
"The landholder advised that he was using the concrete waste to fill to a depression on the property, and was intending on covering it with soil to create a house pad," Mr Cook said.
"Following the inspection, the landholder was issued with a direction notice requiring him to cease receiving the concrete waste, which is an environmentally relevant activity (ERA) requiring an environmental authority.
"A $2,669 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) was also issued to the landholder for unlawfully carrying out the ERA without an environmental authority.
"The landholder was required under the direction notice to remove the concrete waste from the property. He engaged a civil construction company to remove the concrete and deliver it to a licenced waste facility.
"The landholder subsequently provided receipts from the construction company and the weighbridge to demonstrate that the waste had been appropriately disposed of."
Mr Cook said a re-inspection of the property by the UWT showed the site had been rehabilitated and the landholder is now using clean soil to fill the depression.
"This is a great outcome for the department and has removed the risk of potential contamination to the surrounding environment," he said.
"Conducting unlicensed waste activities can pose a risk to the environment and to local communities, and we encourage community members to contact us if they need clarification.
"The department's UWT will continue to act on public information to identify and investigate unlicensed waste operations."
Community reports play a vital role in helping the department identify and investigate environmental risks from the storage and disposal of waste.
To report an issue in your local area, phone the Pollution Hotline on 1300 130 372 (option 2).
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