A Somerville based company has received a $5,140 fine after deciding to dump waste in a Tyabb drain instead of waiting for the local resource recovery centre to open.
Last year, the Shire received a report about a timber waste product dumped in an open drain on Denham Road, Tyabb. After investigating, Council’s Litter Prevention Officers confirmed the source was from the Somerville-based company.
Despite being just minutes away from the Tyabb Resource Recovery Centre, the representative of the company told officers they dumped the waste because the facility was closed at the time. The representative also tried to justify the decision by claiming the material was a “natural product.”
The company was summoned to appear at the Dromana Magistrates’ Court in May on two charges under the Environmental Protection Act 2017 – for unlawfully depositing waste and failing to comply with a waste abatement notice. The Magistrate found the company guilty without conviction, issuing an aggregate fine of $5,000 and ordering $140.40 in costs.
“Each year, the Shire spends approximately $600,000 removing dumped waste – ratepayer money that could have been spent on community infrastructure or other worthy initiatives,” said mayor Cr Anthony Marsh. “Choosing the correct waste disposal method not only avoids fines but also helps protect our environment and public spaces.”
