Sub-contractor refused to answer questions about 1,400 tonnes of material
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has welcomed three guilty verdicts against the owner of a Sydney transport company who refused to answer questions about asbestos waste loads.
Between June and July 2016, a building site on Abercrombie Street at Darlington engaged contractors to remove 1,400 tonnes of material containing asbestos.
Bass Hill sub-contractor Sam Ali was found guilty by Parramatta Local Court of three offences of failing to answer questions when required from EPA investigators – in December 2017 – about the transport and disposal of waste material containing asbestos from the Darlington site.
Ali will be sentenced in January 2019 – the maximum penalty that can be imposed by Parramatta Local Court is $110,000 per offence.
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This case is one of several prosecutions arising from the Darlington incident.
Paul Mouawad previously pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying false or misleading information in relation to the transport and disposal of waste.
Another defendant, Aussie Earthmovers Pty Ltd, has not attended Court to answer charges relating to the alleged supply of false and misleading information about the waste.
The sentence hearing for Mouawad and hearing of the case against Aussie Earthmovers will both take place in April 2019.
NSW environment minister Gabrielle Upton says the guilty verdicts send a clear message that failing to answer questions from EPA officers when required is serious and will not be tolerated.
“No one is above the law. Heavy penalties apply for anyone who does not cooperate with the EPA’s investigators.”