Sydney man, 43, fined $90,000 for illegal dumping across Central Coast, Lake Macquarie
A distinctly patterned coffee mat and linoleum flooring have helped track down and convict a serial offender responsible for three illegal dumps across the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie.
Central Coast
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A 43-year-old man from Sefton in Western Sydney has been convicted of three counts of illegal dumping and copped nearly $90,000 in fines and compensation following an 18-month investigation.
The Hunter/Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad commenced an investigation in February 2019 after two piles of contaminated demolition waste, totalling 10 tonnes, were found dumped on Marconi Rd, Morisset.
RID investigators canvassed businesses in Morisset for CCTV footage of the incident, conducted doorknocks for potential witnesses and undertook extensive crime scene analysis on the dumped material in a search for clues.
Among the waste, which had clearly been affected by fire before being dumped, investigators uncovered distinctly patterned linoleum flooring.
In the weeks that followed, RID investigators visited fire scenes across Lake Macquarie, Cessnock, Maitland and the Central Coast in an effort to locate the point of origin of the waste, and eventually identified a potential site in Mann Street, Gosford.
The site had been demolished and samples of the same distinct linoleum were found on the ground at the site.
While investigations continued, significant dumps of similar material occurred at Catherine Hill Bay and Calga on the Central Coast, and strong evidence suggested these sites were linked to the Marconi Rd dump.
RID co-ordinator Rob Robertson said one particularly telling exhibit found among the waste dumped at Catherine Hill Bay was a partially burnt floor mat with a coffee cup pattern.
“When speaking to the owner of the site of origin during the investigation, they were able to assist by producing a number of photographs of the interior of the building taken before the fire,” Mr Robertson said.
“In one of these photographs, showing the kitchen area, the intact floor mat with the coffee cup pattern is clearly visible.”
Investigators were able to produce a large brief of evidence and Court Attendance Notices were subsequently served on the 43-year-old Western Sydney man, in which it was alleged he was responsible for asbestos removal and waste disposal from the Gosford site.
The man was fined $20,000 for each illegal dumping offence and ordered to pay compensation for clean-up costs to Lake Macquarie City and Central Coast councils totalling nearly $30,000.
Mr Robertson said the RID Squad was established to respond to exactly this type of inter-regional dumping, and was committed to identifying and prosecuting offenders.
“The fact that someone thinks they can dump tonnes of asbestos-contaminated waste on a public street and get away with it is just outrageous,” Mr Robertson said.
“As this case shows, no matter how long it takes, we will keep working until we find those responsible.
“This was a significant pollution incident and the person responsible showed a complete disregard for both community safety and the law. The imposition of nearly $90,000 in fines and costs in court shows how serious these matters truly are.”
The Hunter/Central Coast RID Squad is a joint project between the NSW EPA and local councils, funded in part, by the Waste Levy.