EPA Victoria issued three Official Warnings and one Penalty Infringement Notice
across the state in March in line with its Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
These were in response to incidents which had either posed a risk to the
environment or community - or to parties with a history of creating
environmental harm. The purpose of the sanctions is to act as a deterrent
against reoffending, and reminds business owners and individuals of their
environmental responsibilities.
Sanctions range from an Official Warning or Penalty Infringement Notice ($1,732
for an individual, $ 7,218 for a company) to a license/permit suspension,
enforceable undertaking, prosecution or even a permit revocation for the worst
offenders.
Region – North West
Business: Western Water Region Corporation
Location: Woodend VIC 3442
Date of incident: 18 September 2013
Sanction: Official Warning
Environmental incident: EPA conducted a license site inspection and found waste
water discharge from an unlicensed discharge point. The corporation complied
with a pollution notice abatement direction to cease the discharge, installed a
bund and reviewed waste water management processes. As the incident was a first
offence and considered to cause low impact to the environment an Official
Warning was supported for breaching Section 27(2) of the Environment Protection
Act 1970.
Business: Boyers Excavations Pty Ltd
Location: Barfold VIC 3444
Date of incident: 27 November 2013
Sanction: Official Warning
Environmental incident: EPA conducted a site inspection in response to a
pollution report alleging that industrial waste was being deposited and buried.
Boyers Excavations complied with order to remove the industrial waste and 13
tonnes was removed from the site. The incident caused low environmental harm as
the majority of the industrial waste was solid inert waste and was a first
offence. An Official Warning was supported for a breach of Section 27A(2)(a) of
the Environment Protection Act for deposit industrial waste at a site without a
license or permit.
Region – Southern Metro
Business: AJ Baxter Proprietary Limited
Location: Clayton South VIC 3305
Date of incident: 7 May 2013
Sanction: Official Warning
Environmental incident: AJ Baxter Proprietary Limited breached Section 31A(7)
of the Environment Protection Act 1970 for failing to provide an auditor
verified rehabilitation plan as part of a pollution abatement notice.
Region – Metropolitan
Business: Regal Demolition, Excavation & Bin Hire Pty Ltd
Location: Sunshine North VIC 3020
Date of Incident: 18 June 2013 & 29 October 2013
Sanction: Penalty Infringement Notice
Environmental incident: Regal Demolition, Excavation & Bin Hire Pty Ltd
contravened Section 27A(2)(a) of the Environment Protection Act 1970 by
discarding industrial waste through burning on site. EPA officers advised three
times not to burn industrial waste on premises. This instruction was blatantly
disregarded so the issuing of a Penalty Infringement Notice was supported.
Those issued with a PIN have 28 days to pay the fine. Alternatively, they can
apply for an internal review or have the matter dealt with in court.