Environment Protection Authority v Nulon Products Australia Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 153

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Nulon Products Australia Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 153 Hearing dates: 27 August 2015 Date of orders: 28 September 2015 Decision date: 28 September 2015 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Moore AJ Decision: See orders at [215] Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCE – air pollution – discharge of odour – prosecution of company for failure to comply with condition of environment protection licence – sentence – objective circumstances – failure by employee to conduct end of shift check that heating of lubricant oil product had been turned off – emission of odour – actual environmental harm widespread but low level and transient – offence of medium objective seriousness – subjective circumstances – preventative measures adopted for the future – co-operation with the prosecutor – contrition and remorse – no prior offences – payment in lieu of a fine to the Environmental Trust established under the Environmental Trust Act 1998 of $120,000 for general environmental purposes Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 ss 215(1)(a), 257B, Environmental Trust Act 1998 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 ss 45(d), 64, 120(1) 124, 129, 241, 243, 244(3), 250(1)(e) Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 Cases Cited: Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Environment Protection Authority v BlueScope Steel (AIS) Pty Ltd [2004] NSWLEC 400 Environment Protection Authority v Caltex Refineries (NSW) Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 335 Environment Protection Authority v Caltex Refineries (NSW) Pty Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 194 Environment Protection Authority v Causmag Ore Company Proprietary Limited [2009] NSWLEC 164 Environment Protection Authority v Coastal Recycled Cooking Oils Pty Limited [2008] NSWLEC 242 Environment Protection Authority v Hunter Valley Energy Coal Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 120 Environment Protection Authority v Illawarra Coke Co Pty Ltd [2002] NSWLEC 21l; 118 LGERA 451 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (The Botany Mercury Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 110 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (The Evaporator Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 104 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (The Nitric Acid Air Lift Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 103; 206 LGERA 239 Environment Protection Authority v Timber Industries Ltd [2001] NSWLEC 25 Environment Protection Authority v State of New South Wales (Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water) [2010] NSWLEC67; 174 LGERA 19 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2015] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; 148 LGERA 299 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; 228 CLR 357 Morrison v Defence Maritime Services Pty Ltd [2007] NSWLEC 421 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; 170 LGERA 253 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; 199 CLR 270 R v Tadrosse [2005] NSWCCA 145; 65 NSWLR 740 R v Thompson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; 49 NSWLR 383 Veen v The Queen [No 2] [1988] HCA 14; 164 CLR 465 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Nulon Products Australia Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms Z Shahnawaz, solicitor (Prosecutor) Mr S Nash, barrister (Defendant)