United Petroleum Pty Ltd in court after contaminated soil allegedly dumped near Noosa River

A major fuel company is facing a hefty fine after truckloads of contaminated soil were allegedly moved from a development site and dumped near the Noosa River. Read what they said.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court was told the contaminated soil was removed from a United petrol station development site (pictured) and then dumped near the Noosa River. Photo: Erle Levey / Sunshine Coast Daily

A major Australian petrol company is facing up to a $120,000 fine after several truckloads of contaminated soil was discovered dumped near the Noosa River.

United Petroleum was accused of breaching an environmental protection act after contaminated soil was allegedly moved from a United petrol station development lot at Doonan, and was dumped near the river between July 26, 2013, and August 8, 2013.

The company was later charged with two counts of removing and disposing contaminated soil and one count of unlawfully causing material environmental harm.

The company first fronted court in December, 2014, but pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The matter is yet to reach a verdict.

A legal team representing the company and a team representing the Department of Environment and Science (DES) fronted Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday, October 20 for a hearing on the matter.

Maroochydore Magistrates Court was told the contaminated soil was removed from a United petrol station development site (pictured) and then dumped near the Noosa River. Photo: Erle Levey / Sunshine Coast Daily

There, Benedict Power for the Department submitted to the court United Petroleum could be fined between $100,000 and $120,000 if convicted over their alleged role in the contamination.

He said the soil was allegedly not assessed before it was taken away despite smelling “strongly of petrol”.

The incident was brought to the department’s attention after concerned residents raised the alarm and informed the Noosa Council, the court was told.

It was quickly removed in a $72,000 clean-up operation before the river could sustain any damage, Mr Power said.

Defence barrister representing United Petroleum Pty Ltd Benjamin Murphy claimed the company was not to blame for what happened, and said the incident came from two “very deceitful people” at the development site. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Defence barrister for United Petroleum Benjamin Murphy said United Petroleum had no convictions prior to this matter, but claimed two “very deceitful people” working at the site were directly responsible for the disaster.

This included one man allegedly “lying” to his manager at the time, Mr Murphy claimed, and going against directions to keep the soil at the site.

“(United Petroleum) did not want the contaminated soil to leave the site, it wanted to use the contaminated soil on the site,” he said.

However, neither of the men had been charged over the incident, the court was told.

After hearing from both Mr Murphy and Mr Power, Magistrate Rod Madsen adjourned the hearing until December 14.

Originally published as United Petroleum Pty Ltd in court after contaminated soil allegedly dumped near Noosa River