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Tuggerah Rural Fire Brigade crews were called to the M1 freeway on Wednesday afternoon, September 8, after a large road crusher machine had come off the back of a truck.

On arrival at about 3:30pm, crews found the crusher had come off the back of a low-end loader blocking the northbound on-ramp at Wyong Rd overpass at Mardi.

The crusher had impacted the concrete barrier causing debris to land on the M1 and the crusher was leaking a significant amount of hydraulic fluid and diesel.

RFS and Fire and Rescue crews immediately worked to prevent the fluids entering a nearby drain

Page 5 15 September 2021 NEWS Crusher causes northbound traffic chaos

using absorbent to contain the spill.

During the clean-up operation the northbound on-ramp was closed, causing northbound motorists to re-route to the Ourimbah interchange or to Sparks Rd for a short time.

Freeway traffic was limited to one lane when two northbound lanes were closed.

Fire and Rescue crews were finished at the scene by about 5pm and the salvage crew moved in after the peak hour traffic to remove the truck and machine.

One person was transported to hospital.

Source: Tuggerah Rural Fire Service

EPA issues maximum fine for wastewater spill

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued Sanitarium with the largest fine possible for discharging wastewater into a local waterway from its food production factory at Berkeley Vale.

Australian Health & Nutrition Association Ltd (Sanitarium) was fined $15,000, which is the maximum under EPA legislation, for dirty water discharge into a tributary of Ourimbah Creek which flows into Tuggerah Lake.

The spill happened in February when Sanitarium was transferring wastewater to the sewer using a temporary piping arrangement.

Pipework dislodged from the sewer manhole and the wastewater ran into a waterway.

EPA Director Regulatory Operations, Adam Gilligan, said Sanitarium did not have adequate checks in place and did not notice the dislodged pipework for at least three hours.

“A large quantity of wastewater flowed into a tributary of Ourimbah Creek which then flows into Tuggerah Lake.

“When we analysed the discharged wastewater we found it was highly alkaline, which can damage sensitive aquatic environments.

“Aquatic life can be affected when pH levels rise too high or change rapidly,” Gilligan said.

The EPA’s water quality analysis revealed a clear impact from the discharge in the downstream sampling location when compared with the upstream sampling results.

“This incident should be a reminder to everyone both in community and industry, that spills of any kind can severely damage the health of our waterways and the people and animals that rely on them,” Gillian said.

Members of the public are encouraged to report any water pollution incidents to Enviro Line on 131 555.

Source: Media release, Sep 8 Environment Protection Authority

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