In an important case considering the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s powers to issue stay orders under the state’s revised Environment Protection Act, big global meat products company Van Hessen has been denied a stay of a prohibition notice that will potentially cost it up to $200,000 per week and result in the loss of 30 full time jobs.
There is one main reason why 45 days of air pollution didn't lead to higher penalties for four companies that own the Hazelwood coal mine, according to Ashurst partner Rob Jamieson.
The owners of the Hazelwood brown coal mine have been fined $1.94 million for a major 2014 fire that lasted 45 days and blanketed the Latrobe Valley in smoke and ash.
The operator of Victoria's Hazelwood brown coal mine has been convicted under environmental and health and safety legislation over a mine fire lasting 45 days.
The Victorian government says air pollution health costs from last year's fire at an SKM recycling plant could be as high as $85 million, and has warned that insurers are increasingly concerned about risk in the waste industry.
A new report on air quality by Victoria's Auditor-General says industrial air emissions data should be independently audited and warns it's not good enough to rely on companies self-reporting.