FOOTSCRAY’S Apex Belting has been found guilty of causing an environmental hazard on 22 September 2005 when a liquid latex discharge entered Stony Creek in Yarraville.
The company pleaded guilty on 8 May in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court.
The magistrate imposed no conviction but ordered the company to pay for three local environmental projects valued at $41,000, and for the EPA’s costs of more than $11,000.
The spill of 607 litres of latex-water mixture, 177 litres being latex, was discharged into a stormwater drain that led to Stony Creek. The discharge arose from the way the company handled the latex, contrary to section 27A(1)(c) of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
EPA west metro regional manager, Scott Maloney, said an investigation by the EPA traced the spill, via the stormwater drainage system, to the company’ conveyor belt manufacturing premises in Geelong Rd, West Footscray.
Mr Maloney said that the company’s system of handling the latex had no alarms or automatic shut-off valves to prevent a discharge.
“The valves were just operated manually, so their operation was subject to human error. The premises also had inadequate spill prevention and a lack of stormwater isolation devices.”
“Compliance with a minor works pollution abatement notice issued by EPA since the incident has fixed those deficiencies,” Mr Maloney said.
