Cleanaway facing $30m fine after investigation into New Chum site

An Ipswich rubbish dump at the centre of years of complaints about eye-watering smells could cop a large fine.

An Ipswich rubbish dump that has been the subject of complaints for years is facing more than $30 million in fines for alleged environmental breaches after an “extensive investigation” by state authorities.

Cleanaway Solid Waste Pty Ltd is facing 12 charges for offences, including alleged wilful environmental nuisance at its New Chum facility, according to the Department of Environment and Science.

Desperate locals living near the landfill site at 100 Chum St, in the Ipswich suburb of New Chum, have been complaining about the eye-watering stench from the dump for years.

The state’s department of environment and science began stepping up investigations into odour concerns in April last year, and on Wednesday announced the outcome of the “extensive investigation”.

Residents near the site have been complaining about an overwhelming stench for years.

Cleanaway has been charged with one count of “wilfully and unlawfully causing an environmental nuisance” (maximum fine $1.14m), one count of “wilfully contravening a condition of an environmental authority” (maximum fine $4.3m) and ten counts of “contravening a condition of an environmental authority” (maximum fine $3.1m).

The maximum penalty of the 12 charges cumulatively is about $35 million.

“As the environmental regulator, DES takes environmental offences seriously and will continue to take strong enforcement action, including court action, in relation to contraventions of the Environmental Protection Act,” a DES spokesman said.

The matter is listed before the Ipswich Magistrates Court for mention on 24 April 2023.

Ipswich City Council Mayor Teresa Harding said she was “very pleased” to see the department take “serious action”.

“Cleanaway being charged with 12 separate offences is an acknowledgement to impacted members of our community that their complaints have been heard and their lives do matter,” she said.

“I hope this matter can be resolved quickly and this is not the start of a long legal process with an ending that is uncertain at this time. This is a significant step forward from the State and one that I am sure will be welcomed and closely followed by our community.”

Cleanaway’s annual report release late last year confirmed the New Chum waste centre would be shut until at least the end of June 2023 while “extensive rectification work is completed”.

“The floods caused temporary off-site odour impacts from the facility, and we acknowledge the significant concerns that have been raised by the communities in close proximity to the New Chum landfill,” the report noted.

The company noted the “New Chum Community Reference Group” had been re-established as a way to discuss the issue with the community.

So far Cleanaway has spent $10.2m rectifying issues at the waste site, which was heavily impacted by the 2022 floods, and has set aside a further $28.6 million “to bring the New Chum landfill back into compliance has been made”.