By Vanessa Chircop
PRESIDENT of Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek Geoff Mitchelmore has lashed out at the EPA for not arranging a $50,000 fine to be paid to the community.
Last week, Australian Tallow Producers Pty Ltd (ATP) was fined $50,000 as a result of air pollution events and a licence breach at its Brooklyn site.
The decision follows a Sunshine Magistrates’ Court ruling in August which saw the meat rendering company fined $20,000 for “allowing a smell like a dead animal” to adversely impact on Brooklyn residents.
ATP pleaded guilty in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court last Monday to two charges relating to offensive odours in August and September 2010, as well as a separate charge relating to tallow (an animal derived fat) inadvertently being discharged to Kororoit Creek in August last year.
Members of Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek observed yellow material floating down Kororoit Creek – which was later confirmed as tallow – and reported it to the EPA’s Pollution Hot Line.
EPA Officers attended ATP’s premises and observed tallow in the storm water drains which was traced to a burst pipe on the roof of the premises.
Odour complaints from local residents and businesses included descriptions of a “strong dead meat smell” and “rotten meat odour” coming from the Brooklyn area, which were traced back to ATP’s premises.
EPA CEO John Merritt commended the work of local Brooklyn residents who assisted the investigation by reporting the pollution events, which helped lead to the successful prosecution.
Despite the positive result Mr Mitchelmore told Star he was horrified and upset.
“I was hoping the EPA would arrange for the fine to be used by Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek,” he said.
In December last year, Swift Australia was ordered to pay $50,000 to the Brooklyn Residents Action Group after pleading guilty to releasing animal effluent into Stony Creek in 2009.
Mr Mitchelmore said he had hoped for a similar result from last week’s decision.
“I’m pleased that the EPA brought them to court but don’t believe they’ve done the right thing by the community,” he said.
“I’m terribly disappointed with the EPA.”
An EPA spokesperson told Star in this instance the EPA pursued a prosecution given the serious nature of the offences after negotiations for the fine to be put towards an environmental project broke down.
Star contacted ATP but they failed to respond by deadline.
