COMPANY OWNER COPS CONVICTION FOR CHEMICAL WASTE

7 April 2010
The director of a company that stored extensive volumes of waste on a Moorabbin site was convicted in the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court yesterday (April 7).

Daryl John Owens, the sole active director of Eco-Chem Pty Ltd, was ordered to pay more than $330,000 when he pleaded guilty to two charges laid under the Environment Protection Act 1970.

He was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay $265,000 in compensation to support clean up of the site, on charges of breaching two EPA licence conditions and a clean up notice.

EPA Victoria CEO John Merritt said the result showed the court recognised the severity of the issue and is prepared hold individual directors to account.

Mr Owens leased the land in Ebden St, Moorabbin and the company was licensed by EPA to consolidate and store a maximum of two tonnes of dry cleaning waste chemicals at the factory site.

The court heard that Mr Owens had stockpiled about 100 tonnes of waste and subsequently walked away from the site.

“No company or individual has the right to leave behind a problem of this magnitude – to simply walk away is not good enough.

“Mr Owens is the one at fault here – he broke the law and abandoned his business leaving a significant and expensive mess behind him.”

Mr Merritt said EPA would arrange to have all the drums of waste removed from the site, sorted, then sent for appropriate disposal or treatment.

Mr Owens, who apologised in court to the property owners, was also ordered to pay $42,705.74 in EPA costs.

The case against the company has been adjourned to July 6.