EPA Victoria has issued three Pollution Abatement Notices (PANs) to Mackay
Casings Pty Limited in Wangaratta after confirming odour emissions beyond the
boundaries of the site earlier this year.
Mackay Casings Pty Ltd received one notice to implement a wastewater treatment
management system that increases the aeration of their pond which will help
reduce the odour by 30 June 2014, a second notice to monitor the environmental
impacts of their activities under a monitoring program which enables them to
determine compliance with their EPA licence by 31 August 2014.
And a third notice to install controls to prevent untreated odorous emissions
venting directly to the atmosphere from their processing activities and
wastewater pits by 5 September 2014.
Further to this one of the notices stipulates that by 6 October 2014, they must
undertake a complete odour assessment of the food processing works plant, such
that compliance with the State Environment Protection Policy (Air Quality
Management) can be determined.
EPA Manager North East Clare Kiely said the notices followed EPA investigations
involving a number of odour surveillance exercises within the Wangaratta urban
area and site visits to the Mackay Casings premises.
“EPA will continue to monitor this issue to ensure compliance with ongoing
reporting to EPA by Mackay required as part of the notices.
“The matter was brought to EPA’s attention by the reports of local community
members in mid-January. We encourage locals to continue to report odour and
pollution via EPA’s pollution hotline 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).”