| Date of offence or contravention | 3-Jan-23 |
|---|---|
| Type of offence or contravention | Charges:
|
| Background of offence or contravention | Quaker Haughton Australia Pty Ltd is an industrial process fluids manufacturer. On 3 January 2023, while the premises was closed over Christmas, the compression fitting connecting the sight glass to the top of a tank failed, causing the sight glass to detach and fall outside the tank farm’s bunded area. 28,133 litres of the oleic acid product from the tank was released into a stormwater pit, flowing into the South East Water drainage easement and the public stormwater drainage network. By failing to install a stormwater isolation valve, Quaker Haughton Australia failed to use equipment in a manner that minimised the risk of harm, resulting in a breach of the General Environmental Duty. The spill caused an oil layer to develop in oceans at Elwood Beach and St Kilda Beach, resulting in a multi-agency cleanup response by the State Response Control Centre, the Department of Transport and Planning and the Oil Response Company of Australia. |
| Date of court hearing | 8 August 2025 |
| Date of court order | 8 August 2025 |
| Judicial officer | Justice Quigley |
| Court and location | Supreme Court of Victoria |
| Proceeding number | S ECI 2024 07017 |
Court orders made
Fined $260,000. Restitution of $21,054 to be paid to the Department of Transport and Planning and payment of EPA costs in the amount of $18,946.
Adverse Publicity Order granted pursuant to s.330.
Updated