Fines for illegal disposal of debris

A small section of the demolition industry has been dumping earthquake waste illegally and giving the industry a bad name, Environment Canterbury (ECan) says.

A review by The Press of offences since the February 2011 earthquake shows a raft of demolition contractors have been prosecuted by ECan for offences including burning, burying and dumping earthquake waste illegally.

Earthquake waste can include hazardous material such as asbestos, arsenic and other toxins.

Nearly a dozen directors and/or companies have been fined about $300,000 by ECan and the courts for offences against the Resource Management Act since February 2011.

ECan has also served a number of abatement notices and investigations are continuing.

In one of worst examples brought to light by the prosecutions, 5000 cubic metres of earthquake demolition waste was used to form a half-metre-deep farm track about 1000 metres long and 10m wide on Coutts Island Holdings land.

It was delivered to the site by Canterbury Greenwaste Processors.

The waste had not been screened for contaminants and contained asbestos from several inner-city buildings.

The farm property is on land adjacent to the Otukaikino Stream, which runs into the Waimakariri River.

In July, Judge Jane Borthwick warned of an "emerging trend" of illegal disposal by contractors when fining Tom Thumb Ltd shareholder Aaron Cooper $33,750 for burying 30 truckloads of earthquake demolition material.

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Fines for illegal disposal of debris