Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has issued a $7,773 fine to the operators responsible for the demolition of the Corkman pub after they failed to meet a reporting deadline requirement outlined in a statutory notice.
EPA issued the company with a Minor Works Pollution Abatement Notice on 19 October 2016 following its inspection of the former Corkman pub site, located at 160 Leicester Street in Carlton, where large piles of construction and demolition waste were left uncovered, and included asbestos.
The EPA notice required the operator to implement a number of control measures at the site, including installing adequate signage highlighting asbestos was present; covering the debris, controlling sediment run off and engaging a suitably qualified asbestos consultant to produce an asbestos management plan.
EPA Metro Manager Dan Hunt said the company had until 23 November 2016 to provide a report to EPA that specified how compliance with the requirements of this notice had been achieved.
“On 22 December 2016, EPA received correspondence from the company well past the November 23 deadline, and it partly satisfied the requirement,” he said.
“Subsequently, a $7,773 Penalty Infringement Notice was issued for breaching 31B(6)* of the Environment Protection Act as they failed to meet the reporting requirement outlined in this notice.”
“Failure to comply with the requirements of EPA notices is an offence and companies that disregard compliance due dates will be sanctioned accordingly.”
“Since the incident in October last year, EPA has issued more than $31,000 in fines to the two companies owned by these directors that are linked to the Corkman pub incident. It also continues to investigate potential breaches of the Environment Protection Act."
EPA will continue to work with its co-regulators, including WorkSafe, DELWP and the City of Melbourne, to ensure both public health and the local environment are protected at the Carlton site.
*Section 31B(6) A person on whom a minor works pollution abatement notice or a notice of amendment has been served under this section who contravenes a requirement specified in the notice shall be guilty of an offence against this Act and liable to a penalty of not more than 300 penalty units and in the case of a continuing offence to an additional daily penalty of 50 penalty units for each day upon which the offence continues after conviction or after service by the Authority on that person of notice of contravention of this section.