The NSW Environment Protection Authority has fined Cleanaway Daniels Waste Services $30,000 over two alleged breaches of the conditions in place to protect the environment at their Unanderra clinical waste treatment plant.
Cleanaway Daniels processes clinical waste generated in the medical profession, as well as quarantine waste from cruise ships.
Two EPA officers visited the premises at Industrial Road in May this year after a small fire incident in a waste skip bin.
During their inspection the officers identified numerous instances of poor environmental management, including air emissions control equipment not being operational, issues with incident management documentation, unsafe storage of lithium-ion batteries and excessive storage of liquid waste.
Cleanaway Daniels has been fined $15,000 for allegedly failing to maintain waste processing equipment in a proper and efficient condition and $15,000 for failing to carry out waste processing in a competent manner. They have also been issued with an Official Caution for storing more than the permitted level of liquid waste. The EPA also added a new licence condition aimed at improving environmental performance.
EPA Director Regulatory Operations Metropolitan South Giselle Howard said the premises had previously been the subject of seven recorded odour complaints in the 12 months to July 2019.
“Cleanaway Daniels is required to operate within the requirements of their Environment Protection Licence to protect the community and environment, to the fullest extent with this important waste disposal.
“The community can be assured that the EPA will take action to protect the environment and the community when breaches of operating conditions occur,” Ms Howard said.
Penalty notices are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance including formal warnings, official cautions, licence conditions, notices and directions and prosecutions.
