Fines totalling $12,000 have been issued following two pollution events in the Clarence Valley.

The Clarence Valley Council fined a Queensland based painting company $8000 for polluting stormwater and a Clarence Valley resident $4000 for dumping tyres illegally.

Council’s acting general manager, Troy Anderson, said the $8000 fine was issued after members of the public reported seeing red material run into the stormwater system as the company washed down a roof in Yamba.

“Measures need to be put in place to stop contaminants entering the stormwater system,” he said.

“In this case a diversion system should have been used to trap the run-off from the roof.”
Mr Anderson said a Clarence Valley resident was fined $4000 for dumping tyres on property owned by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).

“Members of the public notified council after seeing the man’s truck enter the ARTC land at Lanitza loaded with tyres and leaving later with no load,” he said.

“ARTC is also eligible to charge the man responsible with the cost of clean-up and disposal of the tyres and could charge him with trespass.”

Mr Anderson said the two fines showed the value of the public reporting pollution incidents.

“We don’t have eyes and ears everywhere, but if people see pollution activity they should report it to the EPA.”