Environment Protection Authority v Collex Pty Ltd [2002] NSWLEC 196

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Environment Protection Authority v Collex Pty Ltd [2002] NSWLEC 196 PROSECUTOR Environment Protection Authority PARTIES : DEFENDANT Collex Pty Ltd (ACN 051 316 584) FILE NUMBER(S) : 50026 of 2002 CORAM: Pain J KEY ISSUES: Prosecution :- plea of guilty - pollution of waters - penalty - whether the Court can consider likely harm to a creek in the absence of evidence that the pollutant reached the creek - whether s 257 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 creates a duty not to allow polluted water to escape from premises and enter other waters - matters in mitigation of penalty LEGISLATION CITED: Clean Waters Act 1970 s 16 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 s 120(1), s 123(a), s 241, s 257 Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (2001) 113 LGERA 357; Cameron v The Queen (2002) 76 ALJR 382; Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683; Dyer v Borg & Anor (Stein J, NSWLEC, 28 April 1988, unreported); Dyer v Borg & Anor (Stein J, NSWLEC, 5 September 1989, unreported); Environmental Protection Authority v Collex Pty Ltd (2001) 115 LGERA 337; Environment Protection Authority v Great Southern Energy (1999) 110 LGERA 254; CASES CITED: Environment Protection Authority v Pioneer Road Services Pty Ltd (1995) 86 LGERA 52; Environment Protection Authority v Rail Infrastructure Corporation (2002) 119 LGERA 409; Hoare v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 348; R v Ireland (1987) 49 NTR 10; R v Sharma (2002) 54 NSWLR 300; R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCA 309; State Pollution Control Commission v Kelly (Hemmings J, NSWLEC, 21 June 1991, unreported); State Pollution Control Commission v White Wings Limited (Bignold J, NSWLEC, 1 November 1991, unreported); Veen v The Queen [No. 2] (1988) 164 CLR 465 DATES OF HEARING: 02/09/2002 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 11/22/2002