JUNE 17, 2020 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Toxic blaze charges laid By Benjamin Millar
Nature strip garden gongs Two Hobsons Bay residents are runners-up in a competition to ind Victoria’s best nature strip garden. Open Gardens Victoria named Susanna Starr of North Fitzroy as the winner, with six close runners-up including Anne Thompson from Newport and Peter Weaver from Seaholme. Competition judge Karen Sutherland said gardeners were increasingly seeing nature strips as an under-developed resource. “This competition has been a joy to be part of, sharing each gardener’s enthusiastic work on their nature strip gardens, bringing lowers for local insects, birds and wildlife, joy to passers-by and connection with their local communities, as well as herbs and edibles.” Ms Thompson’s garden has yellow Helianthus angustifolius (swamp sunlower) and other bright lowering plants. Mr Weaver’s garden provides food with olive and cumquat trees, fennel, daikon, rhubarb, borage, nasturtium edible lowers, strawberries, parsnips, broad beans, zucchini, Japanese taro, sweet potato, garlic and herbs for the community to pick.
(Picture Credit) (Joe Mastroianni) 209737_01
he alleged mastermind behind the illegal dumping of millions of litres of chemicals in a Tottenham warehouse that erupted in 2018 faces more than 30 criminal charges over the incident. Graham Leslie White and his company Delacor Pty Ltd face a combined 34 criminal charges over the industrial ire that burnt for days and sent thick smoke billowing across the western suburbs during August 2018. Environment Protection Authority Victoria has iled a total of 17 charges against Delacor Pty Ltd and a further 17 against White, alleging that they permitted the dumping of industrial waste at the site, caused or permitted the pollution of a local waterway and caused an environmental hazard. he company also faces charges for multiple counts of aggravated pollution, the most serious charge available under the Environment Protection Act. EPA chief executive Cathy Wilkinson said that the charges were iled following a thorough investigation into the complex circumstances surrounding the ire. “he charges that EPA has iled include the strongest charges EPA has at its disposal,” she said. “We take this matter extremely seriously and will always look to hold those who pollute to account.” White was also charged earlier this year with 55 ofences under the Dangerous Goods Act, consisting of 11 ofences for each of four warehouses he occupied in Epping and one in Campbellield. WorkSafe alleges that White failed to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any ire or explosion of dangerous goods that were under his control, despite knowing this failure could endanger the safety or health of people, property or the environment. Investigations into the 14,000 square metre Tottenham ire have revealed it was fuelled by a chemical cocktail of toxic waste and scrap metal. A police investigation remains ongoing, while a coronial inquest is also under way at the request of ire authorities and the union representing ireighters who sufered from ill health ater ighting the blaze. Taxpayers are likely to foot the multimillion dollar clean-up bill for the site ater a court ruled its owner was uninsured at the time of the blaze.
PETER WEAVER
Goya Dmytryshchak
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