Company charged over Coode fire
By Peter Boyle
MELBOURNE — Terminals Pty Ltd has been charged with nine offences under the Environmental Protection Act following investigations into the large chemical fire on Coode Island in the Melbourne docks last August.
Four of the charges carry maximum penalties of $20,000 and the other five maximum penalties of $40,000. If convicted, the company could also face paying $1.6 million in clean-up costs incurred by water and sewerage authorities.
Last year the police tried to suggest that the fire, which blew up several terminals containing hazardous chemicals, was deliberately lit by "extremists" to attract public attention. Subsequent inquiries found this highly publicised claim to be baseless.
Colleen Hartland, an activist in the Hazardous Materials Action Group (HAZMAG) and an Independent Action-endorsed community independent running in the nearby seat of Footscray, told Green Left that the charges were laid on the last day possible under the act only because of strong community pressure.
She added that the western suburbs communities would continue to face a danger because the remaining toxic chemicals stored at Coode would remain there for six years before being moved to a new site. There were problems with the proposed new site at Point Wilson (between Melbourne and Geelong), but at least there would be a several kilometre wide buffer zone there. Coode Island is only 50 metres from some residential areas, said Hartland.