Environment Protection Authority v Unomedical Pty Limited (No 4) [2011] NSWLEC 131

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Unomedical Pty Limited (No 4) [2011] NSWLEC 131 Hearing dates: 29 November 2010 Decision date: 03 August 2011 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: The Court makes the following orders: (1) Unomedical is fined the sum of $90,000; (2) pursuant to s 257B of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Unomedical is to pay the prosecutor's costs of the proceedings in the amount of $140,000; (3) within 28 days of the date of this order, pursuant to s 250(1) of the Act, Unomedical, at its expense, is to place a notice in the first 12 pages of the early general news section of the following publications, at a minimum size of 10cm x 20cm in the form attached at Annexure 'A': (a) The Manly Daily; and (b) The Sydney Morning Herald; and (4) the exhibits are to be returned. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES: sentence upon earlier finding of guilt - failure to carry on an activity by such practicable means as may have been necessary to prevent or minimise air pollution - no emission standard or rate prescribed for the emission of the pollutant - consideration of objective and subjective factors - extent of environmental harm - whether it was appropriate to impose a daily penalty - whether the offence was committed in disregard of public safety - whether the offence involved a series of criminal acts - whether the commission of the offence was commercially motivated - assistance to authorities Legislation Cited: Clean Air Act 1961, ss 15(2), 19(2) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 257B, 257G Fines Act 1996, s 6 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 3, 48, 96, 128, 132(a), 241 Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment Act 2005 Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Scheduled Activities and Waste) Regulation 2008 Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority [2001] NSWCCA 280; (2001) 115 LGERA 304 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson [2009] NSWLEC 4; (2009) 165 LGERA 256 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Elyard v R [2006] NSWCCA 43; (2006) 45 MVR 402 Environment Protection Authority v Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 280; (2008) 163 LGERA 71 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Buchanan (No 2) [2009] NSWLEC 31; (2009) 165 LGERA 383 Environment Protection Authority v Burrangong Meat Processors Pty Ltd [2003] NSWLEC 102 Environment Protection Authority v Caltex Refineries (NSW) Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 335 Environment Protection Authority v Caltex Refineries (NSW) Pty Limited [2008] NSWLEC 194 Environment Protection Authority v Cargill Australia Limited [2004] NSWLEC 334 Environment Protection Authority v Causmag Ore Co Pty Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 164 Environment Protection Authority v Centennial Newstan Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 211 Environment Protection Authority v Coastal Recycled Cooking Oils Pty Limited [2008] NSWLEC 242 Environment Protection Authority v Forgacs Engineering Pty Limited [2009] NSWLEC 64 Environment Protection Authority v Fulton Hogan Pty Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 268; (2008) 163 LGERA 345 Environment Protection Authority v Ghossayn [2009] NSWLEC 181 Environment Protection Authority v Hanna [2010] NSWLEC 98 Environment Protection Authority v HTT Huntley Heritage Pty Limited [2003] NSWLEC 76; (2003) 125 LGERA 332 Environment Protection Authority v Huntsman Corporation Australia Pty Ltd [2011] NSWLEC 39 Environment Protection Authority v Illawarra Coke Co Pty Ltd [2002] NSWLEC 21; (2002) 118 LGERA 451 Environment Protection Authority v Incitec Limited [2003] NSWLEC 381; (2003) 131 LGERA 176 Environment Protection Authority v Lithgow City Council [2007] NSWLEC 695 Environment Protection Authority v Middle Harbour Constructions Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCCA 123; (2002) 119 LGERA 440 Environment Protection Authority v Nationwide Oil [2002] NSWLEC 201 Environmental Protection Authority v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 23 Environment Protection Authority v Shoalhaven Starches [2006] NSWLEC 685 Environment Protection Authority v Straits (Hillgrove) Gold Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 114; (2010) 174 LGERA 314 Environment Protection Authority v Transpacific Industries Pty Limited; Environment Protection Authority v Transpacific Refiners Pty Limited [2010] NSWLEC 85 Environment Protection Authority v Unomedical Pty Limited (No 3) [2010] NSWLEC 198 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corp [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Environment Protection Authority v Wattke; Environment Protection Authority v Geerdink [2010] NSWLEC 24 FS v R [2009] NSWCCA 301; (2009) 198 A Crim R 383 Garrett v Freeman (No 5) [2009] NSWLEC 1; (2009) 164 LGERA 287 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Graham v R [2009] NSWCCA 212 Hardt v Environment Protection Authority [2007] NSWCCA 4; (2007) 156 LGERA 337 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; (2010) 272 ALR 465 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Liverpool City Council v Leppington Pastoral Co Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 170 Mansour v R [2011] NSWCCA 28 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Newcastle City Council v Pacefarm Egg Products [2002] NSWLEC 66 Pittwater Council v Scahill [2009] NSWLEC 12; (2009) 165 LGERA 289 Plath v Hunter Valley Property Management Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 264 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v Delcaro (1989) 41 A Crim R 33 R v Hill [2004] NSWCCA 257 R v M [2005] NSWCCA 224 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Pang [1999] NSWCCA 4; (1999) 105 A Crim R 474 R v Way [2004] NSWCCA 131; (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 R v White (Court of Criminal Appeal, 25 July 1991, unreported) R v Woodman [2001] NSWCCA 310 Rahme v R (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 State Pollution Control Commission v A C Hatrick Chemicals Pty Ltd (1992) 76 LGRA 346 SZ v R [2007] NSWCCA 19; (2007) 168 A Crim R 249 Thomson v Hawkesbury City Council [2009] NSWLEC 151 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor)