Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined the City of Greater Bendigo more than $7,700 for breaching a condition of its EPA licence at the Eaglehawk Landfill.
EPA North West Manager Scott Pigdon said EPA officers inspected the site last December to ensure the operation of the landfill was compliant with the requirements of its EPA licence.
“Once onsite EPA officers observed extensive areas of exposed waste that should have had at least 30 centimetres of soil cover to prevent litter being blown about by the elements and leaving the property,” Dr Pigdon said.
“Under its EPA licence the council is required to cover over any exposed waste at the end of each operational day. In this case the waste has clearly not been covered and was exposed.”
Dr Pigdon said it is was important that cover was applied daily to all waste material so as to reduce vermin, contaminated stormwater issues and litter impacting on the local environment.
“This breach was avoidable; Bendigo Shire Council is well aware of its licence conditions, and in this case correct management and monitoring of exposed litter would have avoided the fine for failing to cover exposed waste,” Dr Pigdon said.
Dr Pigdon said the council had now improved its daily waste monitoring and had changed its landfill operations to ensure compliance with its EPA licence continued.
EPA urges members of the public to continue reporting suspected pollution to EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or at www.epa.vic.gov.au