Raymond Barro and Barro Group Pty Ltd charged with environmental breaches

A leading concrete magnate whose net worth is more than a billion dollars has been accused of letting “offensive odours” discharge from a site in St Albans.

Raymond Barro’s company, Barro Group Pty Ltd, have been accused of breaching environmental safety. Company directors Mr Barro, Rhonda Barro and Ian Peter Alexander have also been charged.

A leading concrete billionaire’s company and its three directors have been accused of breaching environmental requirements leading to “offensive odours” allegedly being released.

Barro Group Pty Ltd and its directors, Raymond Barro, Rhonda Barro and Ian Alexander appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after being charged by the EPA.

The company, who are a leading independent supplier of concrete, have been accused of letting waste burn at their Kealba site, near St Albans, which is in direct breach of the Environmental Protection Act.

The EPA alleges that the company disobeyed conditions of the environmental licence granted to them.

They have also been charged with failing to ensure “offensive odours” did not emit from the premises, which is also a breach under the act.

The act requires that odours offensive to the senses of human beings were not discharged, emitted or released beyond the boundary of their Kealba site.

The alleged breaches occurred between November 2019 and May 2022, according to charge sheets obtained by the Herald Sun.

Rhonda Barro in 2008. In 2023, Rhonda and husband Raymond Barro were estimated to be worth $1.24bn. Picture: Gina McColl

Raymond Barro has been accused of failing to “carry out measures to fix waste hotspots” under the Environmental Protection Act.

The court heard the company failed to “carry out measures to fix waste hotspots”.

The matter, which was listed for a committal mention, was granted summary jurisdiction application by Magistrate Pauline Spencer, will now stay in the lower court rather than head to the County Court.

The application was supported by both the prosecution and the defence.

The three directors appeared via video link, with Rhonda Barro and Ian Alexander sitting in a boardroom together while Raymond Barro sat in his office.

According to the Financial Review’s rich list, Raymond and Rhonda Barro were worth $1.24bn and sat 118th in a list of Australia’s wealthiest.

According to their website, the company has more than 600 full time employees, more than 20 concrete plants, 18 quarries and hundreds of contractors.

The company and the three co-accused were charged by the EPA on December 22 last year.

They will next face court on May 28.