Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is reminding businesses of the importance of complying with the requirements of clean-up notices after it issued a company with a $1,500 fine for submitting a report three months late.
Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd received the fine after it failed to supply EPA with an environmental audit report in accordance with section 53V of the Environment Protection Act 1970 for a petrol station site it owns on Canterbury Road, Ringwood.
The environmental audit report was a requirement outlined in a clean-up notice EPA issued to assess the risk of any possible harm to groundwater caused by current operations at the site.
EPA initially issued a clean-up notice to the duty holder in 2013 requiring assessments in relation to groundwater contamination. After an extension request, EPA issued a new clean-up notice in 2015 requiring the company to complete its environmental audit by February 2016.
EPA Metropolitan Manager, Danny Childs said the authority received the audit report almost three months after the final compliance date.
“EPA requires timely reporting from businesses in order to gain a better picture of the risks to local community and the environment, such as in this case with the environmental audit report,” Mr Childs said.
“The audit report provides information on the extent of groundwater contamination. Without it, EPA is unable to gain an understanding of any possible harm or impacts or inform on next steps required.
“While Viva Energy Australia eventually provided the report and has carried out remediation activities at the site over a number of years, its failure to meet the timeline requirement of the clean-up notice is an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1970.
“EPA reminds businesses that the onus is on site operators to meet the requirements of a remedial notice and to ensure compliance timeframes are met and that the consultants and auditors are being managed.”