Nuplex Industries (Aust) Pty Ltd has been ordered to pay $160,000 towards four
environmental projects after pleading guilty in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court
to an air pollution charge brought by EPA Victoria.
The charge related to the release of chemical vapours, namely ethyl acrylate,
butyl acrylate and acrylonitrile, on 19 December 2011 into the atmosphere in
Wangaratta.
Nuplex holds an EPA licence at 1-5 Gibson Street, Wangaratta to manufacture
water-based acrylic products for the textile, adhesive and paint industries.
The release of chemical vapours occurred when, as a result of operator error,
materials used in the creation of a textile-coating material were manually
added to the incorrect tank at the site and reacted, resulting in a spill and
release of chemical vapours.
The odours impacted the residential area to the north west of the Nuplex site,
and resulted in the evacuation of a number of residents as a precaution. Some
of these residents reported irritated eyes, sore throats, coughs, nausea,
headaches and anxiety, but were discharged with no lasting injury.
Without imposing a conviction, Magistrate Paul Smith ordered Nuplex to pay
$160,000 to the Rural City of Wangaratta as lead organisation on behalf of
North East Catchment Management Authority, Wangaratta Urban Landcare Group,
Wangaratta Sustainability Network, Restore Our Waterways, Ovens Landcare
Network and the Park Lane Nursery.
EPA Director Environmental Regulation Chris Webb said that the court-ordered
funding of community projects would ensure the community most impacted by the
pollution would directly benefit from the improvements including tree planting,
a fauna survey, environmental education and wetlands enhancement.
“This is a significant and appropriate outcome given the impact of the incident
on the Wangaratta community and local environment,” Mr Webb said.
Nuplex was also ordered to pay EPA’s costs of $13,464.