The scene of the Central Otago Wastebusters fire. Photo: Gerard O'Brien
Alexandra man Aaron Gourlay has been found not guilty of lighting the fire which extensively damaged the town's Wastebusters recycling facility in September 2015.
The jury deliberated for a total of eight hours before returning its verdict just after midday in the Dunedin District Court.
They found Gourlay guilty on one charge of deliberately setting fire to a car belonging to a former Wastebusters colleague but acquitted him on three other car arsons and two charges of intentional damage involving the puncturing of tyres on two other vehicles.
Judge Kevin Phillips remanded Gourlay for sentence on the one charge on which he was found guilty.