Recycling safety targeted by new taskforce

Recycling sites will have their safety processes audited, with the Victorian government having announced a new safety taskforce.

Recycling facilities across Victoria will be audited to determine which ones require action to better protect their communities.

To ensure the taskforce has sufficient support to deliver immediate action, the Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change intends to declare, under section 18B of the Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1970, an interim waste management policy to require facilities to store materials in a manner that minimises risk to human health and the environment.

“We are taking immediate measures to ensure better protections for Victorians and our environment,” said Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio.

“The Environment Protection Bill 2017, which is currently before parliament, will further clarify EPA’s role as a protector of human health and the environment.”

The taskforce will outline requirements for appropriate storage of recyclable materials, risk assessment by operators and compliance with fire services guidelines. Non-compliance with this interim policy could lead to sanctions under the EPA.

The interim policy will remain in place for 12 months while a more permanent solution is finalised.

The cornerstone of the new legislation will be a general preventative duty to minimise risk of harm to human health and the environment.

The duty will require everyone to take reasonably practical steps to minimise risks of harm from pollution and waste.

The government has already invested $162.5 million to further strengthen the state’s environment protection framework and bolster the EPA’s ability to prevent and reduce harm from pollution and waste.

The taskforce will comprise Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA), Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB), Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Emergency Management Victoria (EMV).

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