By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
TOLL Group has been fined just over $7000 for an aviation fuel waste spill that gridlocked traffic for hours on the Monash Freeway and surrounding roads in Melbourne’s south east in November.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria issued a penalty notice against the transport company for failing to safely transport the prescribed industrial waste – a breach of the company’s EPA permit.
Toll Group was fined $7381, though shortly after the spill on 12 November the EPA stated the maximum applicable penalty was more than $350,000.
Last week an EPA spokesman said Toll Group would have faced a maximum fine of “about $90,000” had the matter gone to court.
At the time of the spill, drivers reported long delays on Dandenong’s main arterial roads including the freeway – with lanes closed in both directions for five hours between the weekday morning and afternoon peaks.
The EPA found a rusted drum carrying the waste had sprung a leak and dripped on the freeway near the Heatherton Road overpass.
“In this particular case, the company said the drum looked from an initial inspection to be fit-for-purpose,” EPA chief executive Nial Finegan said.
“However, the bottom had rusted, which is where the leak occurred.
“A closer inspection would have revealed that the drum was not up to scratch and would have avoided potential pollution of Victoria’s environment.
“Thankfully, in this instance, the small amount of aviation gas waste that escaped was noticed by another vehicle and the driver was alerted quickly.”
Residents Against Toxic Waste in the South East spokeswoman Thelma Wakelam said the EPA should have prosecuted Toll Group in court if it wanted to send a “true message” to waste transporters.
She said the EPA’s reluctance to prosecute reflected its under-resourcing or being “too close to industry”.
“There is no doubt Toll has been negligent so why would the EPA in this instance not prosecute?
“There is no excuse for human error which can bring our freeways to a halt and cause local lockdown.”
Ms Wakelam said the incident showed transport companies had become complacent about their cargos’ potential impact.
“RATWISE is concerned we have no choice but to share our roads and freeways with vehicles transporting hazardous or dangerous waste, including medical and infectious material.
“There has to be a safer way.”
A Toll Group spokesman last week repeated the company’s statement shortly after the spill that “the safety of our people and the communities that we operate in is our priority, always.
“As one of Melbourne’s largest road users we take this responsibility extremely seriously.”
