Geoffrey Ashurst admits to dumping 60 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated soil in Adelaide Hills
A MAN is facing a substantial fine and conviction after admitting to illegal dumping tonnes of asbestos-contaminated waste along a popular South Australian walking trail in the Adelaide Hills.
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A MAN is facing a substantial fine and conviction after admitting to illegal dumping tonnes of asbestos-contaminated waste along a popular South Australian walking trail.
In the Environmental, Resources and Development Court on Monday, Geoffrey Michael Ashurst, pleaded guilty the unlawful disposing of more than 60 tonnes of waste soil on the Kidman Trail, in the Adelaide Hills.
Authorities said the soil was “contaminated with asbestos” when it was dumped on a public reserve on February 7 last year, at Pyrites Road, and Dawes Bridge, McIntyre Road, Dawesley, near the South Eastern Freeway, east of Hahndorf.
Ashurst, 29, faces a maximum penalty of a $120,000 fine, two years’ jail or both, after pleading guilty yesterday to two counts of unlawful disposal of waste at his first court appearance.
The court heard he did not have permission for the dumping.
The case is being prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Authority, after a referral from Mt Barker Council, which acted on an original tip-off.
The environmental watchdog has asked the court to impose a conviction and a fine for polluting the environment and intentionally, or recklessly, breaching environment protection laws.
The EPA is not pursuing any clean-up costs after it issued an Environment Protection Order (EPO) that forced him to remove the waste to a licensed dump.
The Kidman Trail, named after the late pastoralist Sir Sidney Kidman, is a popular 225km-long walking, cycling and horse riding trail taking in the Fleurieu Peninsula, Adelaide Hills, Murraylands, Barossa and Clare Valley regions.
Ashurst, of Nairne, 8km northwest of Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, did not make any comment as he left court on Monday.
He will be sentenced on Friday.
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