A Junortoun road surfacing and asphalt manufacturing company has been fined nearly $8,000 after Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) officers discovered it discharging an oily substance into the Bendigo Regional State Park.
Local community members alerted EPA to the problem on 29 June this year and when EPA officers attended Sprayline’s Atlas Road site, they saw a black oil-like substance within a stormwater drain underneath the O'Keefe Rail Trail and in the Bendigo Regional State Park.
They also confirmed the origin of the oil-like substance was from a failed triple interceptor system, which had overflowed into the stormwater system.
“It is not known how long the triple interceptor system had failed, or how much of the substance had overflowed into the stormwater system and drained in the Bendigo Regional State Park,” said EPA North West Manager Dr Scott Pigdon
“An inspection of all five on-site triple interceptor pits and the four on-site stormwater pits revealed they were all full of the liquid.”
Sprayline has been issued a Clean Up Notice for the affected land, as well as being fined for discharging industrial waste.
“While tests confirmed there was a minor risk to public health and environment, the incident was avoidable and the fine was appropriate.”
Dr Pigdon thanked community members for bringing the incident to EPA’s attention and urged all community members to call EPA on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842) if they are concerned about any pollution event.