Waste management firm denies allegations of polluting, harming environment
A waste management company has denied allegations it caused environmental damage, including by depositing a pollutant in a place where it could cause harm to land and water. Subscribe now for unlimited. . .
A waste management company has denied allegations it caused environmental damage, including by depositing a pollutant in a place where it could cause harm to land and water. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingSave 30%All articles from our website& appThe digital version ofToday'sPaperAll otherin your areaJustrin Pty Ltd, trading as JustWaste Consulting, pleaded not guilty to all charges in theLaunceston Magistrates Courton Monday, July 13, 2026. The Launceston Magistrates Court. File picture by Phillip BiggsThe business has been charged with a count of depositing a pollutant where environmental harm may be caused, and counts of conducting an activity to which a permit relates in such a way that constitutes a breach of a condition or restriction of the permit. Crown prosecutor Andrew Gillard said the alleged environmental damage did not exceed $50,000 and was not permanent, with some of it already rectified. JustWaste director and senior waste consultant Justin Jones appeared in court on behalf of the business. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has alleged that on February 15, 2023, JustWaste deposited a pollutant called leachate at Oatlands, where it could reasonably be expected to cause environmental harm to land or water. Leachate is any liquid that has passed through waste, such as water through landfill, creating a contaminated liquid. According to court documents, the company conducted waste treatment and disposal activities at Oatlands in a manner which breached numerous conditions of a permit. The company allegedly failed to maintain the moisture content of compost between 45 and 65 per cent during the thermophilic stage of composting. Another permit condition was that compost must be mixed and managed to minimise the occurrence of runoff and leachate from the windrows. JustWaste reportedly breached this condition by failing to mix and manage compost, causing runoff from the compost. The company then allegedly discharged or released the contaminated materials, namely leachate, from the land. The last alleged breach of the permit is that the company failed to mix fish waste into the windrows, allowing vermin access to the material, and failed to store fish waste in a manner which prevented vermin gaining access to it. This last permit condition regarding the handling, storing and processing of fish waste is intended to prevent the transport of fish pathogens. Regarding composting, windrows are long, narrow piles of waste. Defence lawyer Grant Tucker said one of the charges was an electable indictable offence, meaning it was thejurisdiction of the Supreme Court, but that the company had chosen for it to be heard in the Magistrates Court. Mr Tucker said he had been provided with a large number of documents to work through, and proposed that a contest mention could be the next step. The matters were adjourned to September 30. More from Court and CrimeAs it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.