Heftier fines for environmental offences

In response to contraventions of the 10 most serious environmental offences, the Environment Protection Authority is now able to issue a $15,000 penalty notice to a corporation, and a $7,500 penalty notice to individuals. Local councils are also be able to impose heftier fines, being a maximum of $8,000 for corporations and $4,000 for individuals.

The most serious environmental offences under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 include:

• • failure to hold a licence for premises-based scheduled activities (s 48)
• • failure to hold a licence for non-premises based scheduled activities (s 49)
• • failure to comply with a condition under s 64 (except for the requirement to submit an annual return)
• • failure to comply with clean-up notices (s 91)
• • failure to comply with prevention notices (s 97)
• • pollution of waters (s 120)
• • exceeding the standards of air impurities (s 128)
• • pollution of land (s 142A)
• • unlawful transporting or depositing of asbestos or hazardous waste (s 143), and
• • using land as a waste facility without lawful authority (s 144).

Nineteen other serious environmental offences can result in an $8,000 on the spot fine for a corporation and $4,000 for an individual.

Further details are available here.

“This article originally appeared on CCH Australia and is reproduced with permission”