Port Adelaide Salvage buried under history-making fine for illegal waste depots

A salvage company and its director have been hit with the biggest fines ever issued for operating illegal waste depots.

Supplied photos of both sites and video of Highbury of the tipper trucks unloading from the EPA

A Port Adelaide demolition and waste contractor has been slugged with the biggest fine in South Australian history for operating an illegal waste depot at two locations.

Port Adelaide Salvage and its director Maurizio Corsaro, 49, were fined a total of $72,000 for operating two rogue depots in Highbury and Houghton.

The Environment Resources and Development Court heard that up to 137,000 cubic metres of construction and demolition waste was dumped at the quarry on Lower North East and Churchett roads.

Environment Protection Authority manager Stephen Barry said the firm was fined $44,000 for operating the Highbury dump between August and November, 2012.

“(It is) the largest fine ever handed down in SA for operating an illegal waste depot,” Mr Barry said.

“The court sentenced on the basis that the company avoided $30,000 of dumping fees through this illegal activity.”

Mr Corsaro was also fined $10,000 individually.

Justice Susanne Cole said there could have been impacts on human health if the EPA had not intervened.

The EPA estimate 1455 tonnes of waste was stockpiled — including metal, construction and green waste — and it posed a “significant fire risk”.