The New South Wales environmental watchdog has launched multiple prosecutions over asbestos-contaminated mulch found at dozens of sites in Sydney earlier this year.
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00:00The prosecution follows what the EPA says is its largest investigation in the agency's
00:07history.
00:08It all began here in mid-January at Rizal Parklands when children discovered asbestos-contaminated
00:13mulch.
00:14The discovery of toxic substances triggered a health panic across Sydney over several
00:18months and in that time we saw the widespread closure of parks, playgrounds, schools and
00:23even part of a hospital.
00:25The EPA says it's inspected over 300 sites across Sydney with around 79 identified as
00:31having asbestos.
00:32Now the Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne is very heartened by the outcome and without commenting
00:39on the case itself he did express his frustrations with the process.
00:42It was so frustrating that no one would take responsibility for cleaning up the asbestos
00:46and in fact this park was closed for many months, for much longer than it needed to
00:50be because everybody involved was pointing fingers rather than getting on with the cleanup.
00:55I make no comment about the specific allegations that will be determined by the court but it's
01:01a good thing that the government and the EPA have pursued this investigation because we
01:07have to send a message to everybody in the construction and waste sectors that you can't
01:11put the health and safety of children at risk.
01:14The EPA is alleged there has been 102 offences relating to 26 sites and we're going to hear
01:19more details about it in the Land Environment Court closer to February when the first direction
01:24hearings occur.
01:25Some of the allegations the EPA has made public include carrying out scheduled activities
01:28without a licence, the reuse of asbestos waste and failing to carry out resource recovery
01:33competently.
01:35So far three companies and one individual has been charged.
01:38One of the entities charged, Green Life Resource Recovery Facility, says it's going to defend
01:42the charges and it maintains that it takes environmental obligation very seriously.
01:48It says the EPA has never found any asbestos contamination at its Brungelli site in Sydney
01:53South West.
01:54It also took a swipe at the EPA accusing it of informing the media of the details of the
01:59charges before it was served with file documents.
02:01The EPA is alleging the executive liability sits with Director Arnold Votoko who is the
02:06sole director of VE Resource Recovery.
02:09Mr Votoko is one of the country's wealthiest businessmen responsible for major developments
02:14such as the Narellan Town Centre.
02:16He is however most known for being the operator of dessert cafe Max Brenner.
02:20So far Mr Votoko has not responded to any of the allegations publicly.