Vales Point Power Station: Why Delta Electricity was fined $30K
An electricity company which oversees a Mannering Park power station has been issued a massive fine for pollution and waste offences.
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A Mannering Park power station has been fined $30,000 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Delta Electricity has been issued the fine for licence breaches at Vales Point Power Station.
The EPA alleges the station has spread contaminated material, including asbestos, on the Central Coast site.
Delta has been issued with two penalty notices for allegedly causing land pollution and unlawfully using the premises as a waste facility.
The EPA state that Delta has been rehabilitating various ponds at the Vales Point Power Station ash dam, using a contractor to import excavated natural material.
EPA regulatory operations director Adam Gilligan said Delta advised the EPA in September 2018 that it had identified that material classified as general solid waste had been accepted on the site.
“The premises received waste that it was not licenced to accept, which resulted in contaminated fill being imported and spread on site,” he said.
Mr Gilligan said the EPA has issued Delta with a clean-up notice requiring works to make the site safe.
“The EPA has issued Delta a clean-up notice to remove various surface stockpiles of asbestos waste and we are continuing to liaise with them regarding options for dealing with the remainder of the waste in the long term,” he said.
The EPA state that Delta has made a number of improvements to their systems and procedures regarding accepting waste.
“It is important to be aware of the risks involved when accepting dirt and other materials like this. If the correct procedures are not in place – it can lead to large fines and damage to the environment,” Mr Gilligan said.
Delta Electricity released a statement saying it accepted the EPA’s decision and took its duty of care to the community and environment seriously.
“The Vales Point Ash Dam has existed since the construction of the original Vales Point “A” power station in the 1960’s,” the statement read.
“As part of this commitment in September 2018, and as part of ongoing monitoring, Delta identified a significant volume of unapproved demolition waste within the soil used as capping material at the Vales Point Ash Dam Pond 4. Delta immediately contacted the EPA, triggering an on-site meeting by EPA inspectors.
“All deliveries to the ash dam were immediately suspended and the site closed pending investigation.
“The EPA visited the site and requested Delta do further testing to determine the nature of the
material. An independent analysis as required by the EPA Clean Up Notice revealed there was some demolition waste with suspected bonded asbestos, in contravention of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
“Multiple tests and comprehensive sampling revealed there was no airborne asbestos present and there was no danger to the local community.”
Howard Recycling Services was contracted by Delta to manage the ash dam and capping material.
“The capping material had been sourced and accepted by Howards Recycling Services and spread across the site,” the statement read. “Delta had no evidence prior to the routine inspection in September 2018 that Howards Recycling Services was accepting or spreading unapproved waste on Ash Dam Pond 4.”
Delta Managing Director Greg Everett said the company had zero tolerance of any breaches of
this type.
“Delta has conducted extensive testing and analysis since September 2018 and is confident
there’s no risk to the public from the material at Ash Dam Pond 4,” he said.
“Delta has terminated its contract with Howard Recycling Services and manages the checking and receipt of capping material using its own staff in a fully revised, more stringent quality process”.
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW has commented on the issue, saying the fine was issued a week after Delta Electricity received an $8.7m federal government grant.
“How can the federal government justify giving our hard-earned taxpayer dollars to a company that treats the environment and our laws with such disdain?” Nature Conservation Council campaigns director Dr Brad Smith said.
“This company has been busted dumping toxic asbestos into an ash dam and spreading it over a very large area. The penalty imposed is far too light for such a serious breach.”
He called on the State Government to block the transfer of the federal grant money.