The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined Wingecarribee Shire Council a total of $23,000 for processing waste materials contaminated with asbestos and sending that waste into the marketplace.
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An investigation into Council’s activities was launched following a report from a member of the public.
The report alleged recovered aggregate was processed by Council at its Moss Vale Resource Recovery Centre into various products for sale, and those products contained asbestos.
The EPA investigation confirmed the presence of asbestos waste in two grades of recovered aggregate (concrete, brick, ceramics, and asphalt processed into engineered material) which was then sold to numerous members of the public, with documentation showing the products did not contain asbestos.
Council General Manager Ann Prendergast said she apologised to the customers of the Recovery Resource Centre.
“We know in this instance we failed in our responsibilities and it was an unacceptable incident to have occurred,” she said.
“As a result of the incident Council no longer processes building waste for the purpose of generating recycled aggregate for sale to the general public.”
EPA Executive Director of Waste Sarah Gardner said the sale and distribution of asbestos contaminated products has the potential to cause harm to both human and environmental health.
“In this instance asbestos contaminated recovered aggregate was provided to numerous people for a variety of uses including at people’s residential properties,” she said.
“Suppliers should be on notice, as the EPA will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and its subsequent threat to the health of the public and the environment.”
Ms Prendergast said as a result, council has implemented more stringent inspection procedures when accepting building waste at the facility.
“Council can confirm that the properties of all 24 customers that purchased the recycled aggregate have now been fully remediated as per EPA directives and cleared via an independent occupational hygienist,” she said.
Wingecarribee Shire Council was issued two penalty notices for breaches of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act.