A Victorian-based bulk handling business has copped a fine for incorrectly disposing of its waste, the equivalent of 40,080 litres of waste, including bunker tarps following a blaze at a Mallee grain receival site.
Ag Store, a part of the Watson's Bulk Logistics business, which runs grain storage facilities at Lascelles, Marnoo and Ouyen, was found guilty in the Horsham Magistrates Court of having illegally burnt off plastic grain tarps and other waste materials that should have gone to an appropriately licensed facility following the fire in September 2022.
The charges were brought forward by Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Victoria after EPA officers attended the Ag Store Lascelles site, where they found a pile of smouldering waste containing partially burnt plastic grain covers, drink cans, spray cans, plastic grease cartridges, PVC, glass, an oil filter, tyres, various metal items and a mattress.
The EPA said it issued a notice to clean up the burnt waste, which was complied with, and charged the company and its director, Joel Watson, with offences under the Environment Protection Act 2017.
In court magistrate Bailey placed Ag Store, without conviction, on a 12-month good behaviour bond, and required them to pay a $7,500 donation to CFA Lacelles, plus $1,113 in costs to EPA.
Against Mr Watson magistrate Bailey, without conviction, also placed him on a 12-month good behaviour bond, with a $2,500 donation to CFA Lascelles, and ordered him to pay $1,113 in costs to EPA.
Mr Watson said the fire was accidental.
Gregor Heard
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
