Recent Fines | Oil Spill Kits for Australia
As our population swells and continues to urbanise, people are becoming more and more aware of the value of a pristine environment. People want an area that looks natural, for their streams and rivers to run clean, and for the air and the soil to be unsullied by industrial practices and traces of humanity.
Oil spill kits, from your friends at EcoSpill, are built to ensure this.
That is just one of the reasons that in 2014, the state of New South Wales implemented a new set of environmental regulations, ones which instituted some of the toughest fines for polluters to be found anywhere. As part of a ten-fold increase in on-the-spot fines for polluters, it was intended as a broader attempt to prevent the degradation of our natural assets, to deter potential polluters, and has been mirrored in neighbouring states since its introduction. Here are some examples of it, in action.
Sydney Harbour
Oil and water are a classic case of two elements that don’t mix. When a few hundred litres of oil were spilt after a pipe ruptured at the Viva Energy site in Greenwich, local residents were up in arms, ringing the EPA on their hotline. The fines are pending, but the firm was left no one in any doubt that locals take the preservation of Sydney Harbour’s waters as a high priority.
The Regina
The Great Barrier Reef is among Australia’s most well-known natural landmarks, and a huge draw for tourists. Little wonder, then, that we are somewhat sensitive to ships dumping their oil in the vicinity of its multitudinous glory.
When oil began to wash up on shore north of Townsville, local authorities were stymied by the lack of a report of lost oil. Eventually, through an exhaustive process, the Regina was identified as the culprit. It is facing a potential maximum fine of $17 million, and there are calls for it to be barred from Australian waters full-stop.
The Janas
This fine, for spilling diesel fuel in the Derwent River in 2015, might not seem enormously meaningful, at only $45000. But, given the spill only involved 400 litres of diesel, it remains one of the most notable fines of recent years. Per unit spilt, it is actually among the most onerous fines handed out in recent years – and indicated to all shipping in Hobart the seriousness with which locals are safeguarding the environment in Tasmania.
Contact EcoSpill for all your oil spill kit needs, and protect yourself, your firm, and the local environment.