A director and his two companies operating in Brooklyn and Great Western will pay more than $45,000 in fines and costs after charges that they failed to comply with a host of regulatory notices and deposit of industrial waste by burning were proven.

Nicholas Limbourne was found to have illegally deposited industrial waste by burning at his property in Great Western and fined $20,000 without conviction. Mr Limbourne was also fined a further $5,000 as part of an aggregate sentence for charges related to the same conduct as the companies of which he is a sole director.

Limbourne Group Pty Ltd was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $,7081 in EPA costs after it failed to comply with notices requiring the preparation of a compliant Emergency Management Plan and Fire Risk Assessment, and to make safe non-compliant piles of combustible and recyclable waste at their Brooklyn premises.

Limbourne Group further failed to comply with a Prohibition Notice requiring no further waste be received at the premises until compliance with the separation and dimensions of stockpiles of waste was achieved.

Tombell Limsed Pty Ltd was also found to have not complied with an Environmental Action Notice and was fined $3,000 and ordered to pay $5,331 in costs to EPA. Tombell Limsed was also ordered to remove all remaining industrial waste from the affected premises on Sandy Creek Road in Great Western and dispose of it lawfully by 8 November this year.

“We conducted a comprehensive investigation into a complex matter and we are pleased with the outcome. It sends a clear message that not only is EPA vigilant against this kind of behaviour, the financial penalties are substantial,” Greg Elms, EPA Environmental Crimes Branch Chief Investigator said.