Rodney Stevens
Glenn Innes business Clarence Valley Metal Recyclers has been ordered to pay more than $178,000 in fines and legal costs for “double dipping” on the Return and Earn scheme by counting more than three million containers twice.
Clarence Valley Metal Recyclers CVMR was purchased from the owners of Bessie Street, South Grafton business, Clarence Valley Wreckers, by Marcus Walsh of Glen Innes, on January 22, 2020.
Since news broke last week about the fine, Clarence Valley Wreckers said they had been bombarded with abusive phone calls and bad online reviews from people thinking CVMR was still associated with their business.
The fine was handed down in the Land and Environment Court this month after the Environment Protection Authority EPA appealed the $45,000 fine handed down by the local court in 2022 on the basis the fines were unreasonably low and an insufficient deterrent.
EPA Acting Executive Director, Arminda Ryan said the EPA became aware of the fraudulent activity after detailed monitoring and audits at recycling facilities revealed anomalies that led to an investigation.
“The Return and Earn scheme is one of the best recycling schemes in the world and it is very disappointing that someone would take advantage of that and return containers they know are ineligible as well as containers that had already received a refund,” Ms Ryan said.
“To protect the integrity of the scheme, containers are closely monitored, and this will continue to help us root out fraudulent behaviour from individuals and companies.”
Last year at Coffs Harbour Local Court, CVMR pleaded guilty after it paid Glen Industries $57,000 for 66 tonnes of recyclable containers that had already been returned and refunded.
The containers were then resubmitted through Return and Earn, along with another 33 tonnes of non-eligible containers, to a Coffs Harbour Automated Depot.
In resentencing in the Land and Environment Court this month the Court took into account that the conduct was carried out systematically over a period of time and there was a significant financial benefit made by the company.
CVMR is required to pay the EPA more than $29,000 in investigation and legal costs related to the Local Court proceedings, as well as legal costs for the appeal.
The prosecution was the first in NSW by the EPA regarding the Return and Earn scheme.
The owner of Clarence Valley Wreckers said he is extremely disappointed some local and national media organisations didn’t check the details of the company ownership correctly or didn’t call them to check before publishing stories with incorrect information.
“We own and operate Clarence Valley Wreckers located 11 Bessie Street South Grafton,” said the owner who didn’t want to be named.
“We also owned Clarence Valley Metal Recyclers until the 22-01-2020.
“When it was sold to Marcus Walsh of Glen Innes we kept the old phone number which we answer as Clarence Valley Wreckers.
“Our company holds great pride in working and spending in the Clarence Valley and we would like to let all of our customers and future customers know that THIS WAS NOT US.”