EPA Victoria has today issued Cranbourne landfill operator SBI with a prohibition notice, stopping it from accepting waste until odour issues at the site are properly managed.
EPA continues to actively regulate SBI to ensure it safely fixes the issues at the Ballarto Road, Cranbourne site, particularly odour that is impacting on the local community.
EPA CEO Lee Miezis said the notice stops any further waste being accepted at the landfill and requires SBI to hire an environmental manager to specifically address issues at the site.
“The prohibition on receiving waste follows an early morning inspection undertaken by EPA officers on Monday and means SBI is required to put its sole focus on dealing with the impacts on the community,” said Mr Miezis.
“There has been intense activity at the SBI site under EPA’s direction but the community continues to be affected by odour. The Prohibition Notice is an escalation in EPA’s regulation of site and we will take further action as appropriate.
“EPA has liaised closely with the local community and met with them on several occasions. We will continue to provide updates as we have them.”
The EPA Prohibition Notice is in addition to existing regulatory notices that EPA has issued to the company that require it to take action:
• Landfill gas (odour) management – the notice requires odours from the site to be fixed by 25 August, with works already done, including gas wells being installed to capture and reduce odours
• Hot spot monitoring plan – the plan has been submitted and is being reviewed by EPA
• Stockpiled waste – this notice required the removal of stockpiled material at the site
• Liquid waste management – the notice requires appropriate and safe storage of liquid waste. This notice has been complied with.
Failure to comply with the requirements of these notices could result in sanctions ranging from fines of up to 2,400 penalty units (approximately $396,000) through to licence suspension and even cancellation.
EPA is regularly inspecting the site and surrounds, including spot checks, gas and air monitoring with results provided to the community. Investigations continue into the site and the duty holders.
Background Information
The prohibition notice is on the acceptance of waste at the landfill. There is a transfer station on the same site which will not be subject to the prohibition notice.
Notwithstanding this, EPA will continue to monitor and inspect the landfill site including the transfer station.
