Three companies working on the Christchurch rebuild following recent damaging earthquakes have been handed a record penalty for dumping demolition waste.
Contaminated waste used to form a track at Coutts Island. Photo: ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY
Canterbury Greenwaste Processors, Coutts Island Holdings and Kingsley Robert Kepple were fined a total of over $150,000 for dumping 5000 cubic metres of contaminated waste to form a track at a Coutts Island site.
The farm property is on land adjacent to the Otukaikino Stream which runs into the Waimakiriri River, an area within the Christchurch groundwater protection zone.
The Canterbury regional council says the temptation for those in the demolition and waste industry to save costs and increase profits by inappropriate waste disposal is of great concern in the region's current environment.
Judge Kellar imposed total fines of $153,625 and court costs of $13,569 - a record in Canterbury for this type of offending.