By Karl Hoerr -
Prosecutions have been launched against three companies and an individual, over the contamination of mulch, which was first detected in Sydney’s Rozelle Parklands.
Bonded asbestos was found at the site in January, triggering what the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has described as the largest investigation in its history.
More than 300 sites were inspected and 79 of these were confirmed as having the contaminated mulch. The material has since been removed.
There are 50 charges against both Freescale Trading Pty Ltd and Runkorp Pty Ltd. Both companies trade as Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility. One charge each has been laid against VE Resource Recovery Pty Ltd and its sole director Arnold Vitocco.
The alleged offences relate to 26 sites, including Rozelle Parklands. The park, created during construction of the WestConnex road interchange, was fenced off to the public until the end of April, so that remediation work could be carried out.
During the course of 2024, asbestos was detected in mulch at dozens of sites across NSW, including at parks, roadways, businesses, schools, hospitals and medical facilities. In September, the EPA said its supply chain investigation was complete and that sites had been cleaned up and reopened.
The charges cover five categories, being licence breach, executive liability, scheduled activities without a licence, breach of resource recover order and reuse of asbestos waste.
The case will be heard in the NSW Land and Environment Court and is scheduled for a directions hearing in February 2025.
