A waste company has pleaded guilty to allegations it ran a demolition waste cartel. 

Waste company Bingo Industries has entered pleas of guilty to criminal cartel offences relating to price fixing for demolition waste services in Sydney. 

It is alleged that in mid-2019, Bingo agreed with its competitors Aussie Skips Bin Services and Aussie Skips Recycling to fix and increase prices for the supply of skip bins and the provision of waste processing services for building and demolition waste in Sydney.

Bingo is a waste management company that provides landfill, waste processing and skip bins services throughout New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Aussie Skips Bin Services and Aussie Skips Recycling are Sydney-based waste management businesses that supply skip bins and waste processing services for building and demolition waste respectively.

Bingo’s former managing director and CEO, Daniel Tartak has also been charged with two criminal cartel offences.

The charges relate to alleged breaches of the cartel provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act and will be heard by the Federal Court.

Bingo was charged with the offences after an investigation by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and referral to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP).

“When companies arrange to fix prices, they usually do so to increase their profits, and it is consumers that pay the increased cost,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

“We are committed to detecting and investigating serious cartel allegations and taking appropriate action against those who are a party to illegal cartel behaviour, including referral of matters to the CDPP. 

“Cartel conduct not only frequently impacts consumers, but it can also significantly harm competing businesses and the economy more broadly. Trying to detect cartels early and working with whistleblowers is an essential component of our work.”

The matter will be listed for case management hearing in the Federal Court at a later stage.