Transpacific Industries will pay $100,000 to a community project following a water pollution incident at the company’s Kooragang Island facility last year.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has agreed to
the Enforceable Undertaking (EU) offered by the company following an investigation into the incident.
The EPA carried out an investigation after the company
discharged an unknown quantity of waste water into the local stormwater system,
between April 30 and May 13 last year.
The EPA Chief Environmental Regulator, Mark Gifford said the
incident was likely to have caused some environmental harm, in particular harm
to aquatic organisms.
“The EPA has a range of regulatory tools it uses to achieve
environmental compliance amongst industry. An EU was considered most
appropriate in this instance because as well as addressing the immediate
problems following the incident it will also help achieve a real and lasting
outcome for the community and the environment,” Mr Gifford said.
The EU will see Transpacific contribute $100,000 to fund a
Sustainable Communities Garden Project run by the Newcastle Police Citizens
Youth Club at Broadmeadow.
Transpacific has until July 8, 2015 to make the $100,000
contribution in full.
In addition the company will also have to carry out a review
of policies and procedures including those related to the handling of waste
water and incident response, as well as implement training programs for its Kooragang
Island facility staff.
“The EU conditions are aimed at improving onsite operations
and compliance and ensuring Transpacific is actively working to improve its
environmental performance,” Mr Gifford said.
EUs are legally binding agreements and failure to comply can
result in the EPA taking further regulatory action.
There are strict timelines in place to ensure the work is
carried out in a timely manner. Transpacific will be required to submit
detailed reports to the EPA detailing how the conditions of the EU have been
met.