A Middle Eastern waste disposal boss has been convicted and fined $50,000 after illegally dumping 130 skip bins containing toxic waste on a property in western Sydney.
Nima Tajik, the former owner and director of skip bin hire and waste disposal company Skipcorp, last month pleaded guilty in Parramatta Local Court to unlawfully transporting waste and unlawfully using a place as a waste facility, following an investigation by the NSW Environment Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA found in 2022 that Tajik was not disposing of waste collected by Skipcorp lawfully, and was instead transporting it and storing it at the property in Grantham Farm, near Blacktown.
Investigators found 1,200 tonnes of waste illegally stored at the site, including 29 tonnes of asbestos waste, and photos show the bins sitting uncovered in the open air.
Tajik was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, half of which will go to the EPA, and an additional $2,353 to cover the EPA’s investigations costs.
EPA Director of Field Operations David Gathercole said the fine should sent a message to waste operators that illegal activity will be detected and result in prosecution.
“Over a period of nine months, the waste from hundreds of skip bins was stored by Mr Tajik at a property that was not licenced to accept this type of waste,” Mr Gathercole said.
“Among almost 130 skip bins full of building and demolition waste, EPA officers found tiles, bricks, soil, concrete and timber, and most concerningly, around 29 tonnes of asbestos waste.
“Many of the skip bins were uncovered and there were minimal controls in place to ensure waste did not impact the surrounding area. These actions were undertaken purely for financial reasons, despite there being a clear risk to the environment and the community.
“The EPA will continue to pursue individuals and companies that put profit before their environmental responsibilities.”
Header image: The skip bins dumped on the property (NSW EPA).
