NSW EPA Charges Developer and Companies Over Asbestos-Contaminated Mulch

The environmental regulator has filed 102 charges following its largest-ever investigation, which uncovered asbestos in mulch at 79 sites across New South Wales.

• The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is prosecuting three companies and one individual for 102 alleged offences related to asbestos-contaminated mulch found at 79 sites across the state.
• The investigation began after bonded asbestos was discovered in mulch at Rozelle Parklands in January, leading to the closure of parks, schools, and other facilities in Sydney.
• Arnold Vitocco, director of VE Resource Recovery and a prominent developer, faces an executive liability charge, while two entities trading as Greenlife Resource Recovery Facility are also implicated.
• The charges include breaches of environmental protection licenses, reuse of asbestos waste, and operating without proper licenses, with cases linked to 26 of the contaminated sites.
• All 79 contaminated sites have been cleaned up, and the first directions hearing is scheduled for February 7, 2025, in the NSW Land and Environment Court.

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