Adelaide demolition company convicted of serious offences
An Adelaide demolition company has been convicted and fined after illegally dumping waste at several sites in the Murraylands and the Adelaide Hills.
Maurice Corsaro and his company, Port Adelaide Salvage, were found guilty of 14 offences under the Environment Protection Act by the Environment, Resources and Development Court following an investigation by the Environment Protection Authority.
This included operating a waste facility without a licence, failing to comply with clean-up orders, and hindering, using abusive language towards and assaulting an Environment Protection Authority authorised officer.
Additionally, thousands of tonnes of construction and demolition waste contaminated with asbestos were found dumped at the sites in Sedan and Houghton in the Adelaide Hills.
The investigation was carried out by the EPA in conjunction with the Mid-Murray Council, SafeWork SA, National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the South Australian police.
His Honour Senior Judge Michael Durrant ordered Corsaro to pay $117,500, while Port Adelaide Salvage was fined $170,000.
Both Corsaro and Port Adelaide Salvage were also ordered to by $26,987 for the cost of the informant and have entered into an agreement to pay back $400,000 to the EPA for the clean-up of the site that it undertook.
In sentencing, Durrant said this is a serious example of offending of its type.
“I am guarded about the prospects of rehabilitation of the company and the director, and as to their risk of re-offending because the offending in this case was done with an awareness of the need for a licence,” he said
“It was also done despite the imposition of past penalties. It involved actions for significant commercial gain and failures to comply with clean-up orders.”
Stay informed, daily
EPA’s director of compliance, circular economy and investigations, Steven Sergi, said the conviction and penalties would be a strong deterrent for anyone considering disobeying environmental protection laws in South Australia.
“The investigation spanned multiple years and multiple properties,” he said.
“Most concerningly, the assault of an EPA Authorised Officer was inexcusable. The EPA has a zero-tolerance approach to abusive conduct and physical violence against our staff.
“Senior Judge Durrant has sent a strong message in his sentencing that this type of environmental offending is serious and that assaulting and failing to comply with a direction of an authorised officer and a clean-up order will not be tolerated.”
