A Surrey company has been ordered to pay $15,000 for illegally dumping drywall at a New Westminster recycling facility.
Bhupinder Singh Dhillon, Kelbeir Singh Sall and Speedy Excavating Ltd. were all facing nine charges under the B.C. Environmental Management Act for illegally transporting and disposing of the drywall, containing asbestos, which is classified as a hazardous waste.
On Monday, Feb. 28, a guilty plea was entered in Surrey Provincial Court. In exchange, all counts were dropped against Sall and Dhillon and eight of the nine counts were dropped against the company.
The judge ordered the company to pay a $1,000 fine and make a $14,000 donation to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. The company has a year to pay the donation and three months to pay the fine.
Jack Trudgin, a B.C. conservation officer who worked for a year on the case, said the outcome of the trial was great news.
"This is the first one of its kind and its an excellent judgment," Trudgin said Tuesday.
Like any successful case, this one involved a report from the public, he said.
"It's hard for us to catch these kinds of cases without the public," Trudgin said.
The judgment also sends a serious message to anyone looking to take shortcuts in disposing of their waste.
"The judge made that clear is that this is a deterrent," Trudgin said. "Crown wanted to make that clear as well."
Anyone who witnesses someone dumping illegally can call the emergency line with the ministry of environment at 1-877-952-7277.
kdiakiw@surreyleader.com
kdiakiw@surreyleader.com