Visy counts the cost for chemical gas incident
Visy Paper Pty Ltd was ordered to pay $100,000 for a chemical incident in December 2008 at its Reservoir premises.
The company pleaded guilty at the Heidelberg Magistrates' Court in mid August to a charge of permitting an environmental hazard.
The incident occurred when a contractor for Omega Chemicals made an 18,000 litre delivery of sodium hypochlorite (hypo) to Visy.
The driver connected his truck to the wrong tank, emptying sodium hypochlorite into the poly aluminium chloride tank. The resulting chemical reaction released a yellow plume of chlorine gas.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade evacuated the Visy premises, surrounding businesses and the Lakeside Secondary College. Fourteen people where taken to hospital for eye and lung irritation. All were discharged later that day.
The Court heard the incident would not have occurred if Visy had had locks installed on the inlet valves.
Since the accident, padlocks have been installed on each inlet valve and the keys are now secured in a locked box, which the mill chemist controls.
EPA’s John Merritt said the incident had been a wake up call to Visy Paper to ensure their safety and emergency procedures where understood and carried out by delivery drivers.
“Visy should have ensured its handling procedures were strictly followed. The significant quantities of chlorine gas released into the atmosphere caused a serious risk to the health and well-being of employees and local residents.
“The penalty reflects the seriousness of the incident and should act as a warning to other companies to ensure their dangerous goods policies and procedures are robust.”
The $100,000 penalty will fund a local community environmental project at Edwardes Lake in Reservoir. The project, led by Darebin City Council in consultation with the local community, will see revegetation of the lake fringe, and installation of lighting and signage to improve the safety and accessibility of the lake area.
Visy Paper was ordered to pay EPA’s court costs of $8738.82.
The contractor delivering the chemicals, Mr Brett Beattie, was convicted in May this year and fined more than $6,500 for his role in the incident.