Company fined for illegal discharge of sediment
Media Release
1 December 2014
For immediate release
Company fined for
illegal discharge of sediment
A Wainuiomata
trenching company has been convicted and fined $28,500 for
the illegal discharge of sediment slurry.
The sediment from trenching operations carried out by All Excavation and Reinstatement Services Limited was dumped in a Porirua gully where slurry entered and smothered the bed of a tributary of the Kenepuru Stream.
“While the standard practice of the company was to ensure that slurry was disposed of at an approved waste facility, the company failed to ensure all their staff followed this practice. Some cleanfill material had been disposed of legally, on multiple occasions liquid slurry which is not classed as cleanfill, was also dumped at the site where it flowed into the stream,” the Regional Council’s Environmental Regulation Manager, Alistair Cross said.
Mr Cross said AERLS was cooperative with the council investigation and ceased discharges immediately on issue of an abatement notice. Judge Dwyer took this into consideration in delivering his decision and noted AERSL’s early guilty pleas, cooperative attitude and good record.
“The unauthorised discharge of contaminants into the environment may constitute an offence. Everyone who works in the construction and waste disposal industries needs to be aware of their responsibility to avoid illegal discharges, ” Mr Cross said.
ENDS