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Melbourne Warehouse on Fire
05/04/2019
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
About 175 firefighters are battling a massive fire at a factory in Melbourne's north where buildings and vehicles have been turned into fireballs and chemical drums sent soaring high above the inferno.
A huge toxic pall of thick, black smoke is billowing from the factory in Thornycroft Street, Campbellfield, and drifting over Melbourne's CBD.
The company that operates from the buildings had its licence to process toxic chemical waste suspended two weeks ago.
Details are starting to emerge about the state of the Campbellfield chemical waste disposal facility when it was inspected by a taskforce comprising the EPA and emergency services in early March.
Sources say the surprise inspection on March 13 found leaking containers and spilled chemicals on the factory floor. The breaches have been described as "extremely alarming" given that employees were onsite and working near the contamination.
The EPA issued a "show cause" notice to Bradbury about its permit breaches and then suspended its licence when Bradbury failed to meet its demands.
“The community has a right to expect that the management of hazardous and industrial waste is done to a high standard that meets regulations. This was not the case with Bradbury and is why EPA has taken this important decision," EPA chief executive Dr Cathy Wilkinson said in a statement at the time.
The EPA found the company was storing more waste than permitted, and that storage containers were not adequately handled and were outside an adequately contained area.
Read the March Network News
04/04/2019
The March Network News is now available online.
Read the exciting Conference announcement, the Secretariat trip to WA, local news and updates across Australasia and much more.
JOB ALERT: Technical Advisors and Unit Heads
27/03/2019
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is the state‘s primary environmental regulator. We work to protect our community and the environment. Our vision is for New South Wales to have a healthy environment, healthy community and healthy business. We lead in protecting our air, waterways, land and the health of the community for the future. We work with communities, government and business to reduce impacts on our environment. We hold people and organisations to account through licensing, monitoring, regulation and enforcement.
The EPA is currently offering a range of opportunities to work with highly skilled and dedicated professional staff to continue to improve the way advice on air, water and noise pollution is incorporated into the EPA’s work.
The opportunities include team leaders, principal advisors and senior advisors and advisors across air, noise and water pollution areas. We are looking for leaders and future leaders with technical expertise in assessing and managing air, water and noise pollution matters. The roles are part of the Technical Assessments and Advice Section which works collaboratively across the EPA to provide technical advice and support services for the EPA’s regulatory and operational functions. The section:
- provides expert advice, training and guidance on air and water quality and noise impacts for EPA operational staff to support credible regulatory decision making
- provides advice on complex or contentious air, noise and water impact assessments, monitoring, licensing and compliance matters
- builds and maintains comprehensive knowledge of emerging air, noise and water related issues, and the approaches being taken nationally and internationally to address them
- develops, reforms and implements operational policy, guidance and systems that inform regulation of air, noise and water pollution
We are looking for people who can develop innovative and imaginative solutions to complex, unusual or controversial issues and work collaboratively with the EPA’s operational officers to protect the community and environment.
The opportunities include the following roles (with links to I Work for NSW):
Unit Head Technical Advice - Noise (EO13)
Principal Technical Advisor - Noise (EO11)
Senior Technical Advisor – Noise (EO9)
Unit Head Technical Advice - Water (EO13)
Principal Technical Advisor - Water (EO11)
Senior Technical Advisor - Water (EO9)
Technical Advisor – Water (EO7)
Senior Technical Advisor - Air (EO9)
Experience and qualifications vary with each position, but you will have a current career in air, noise, water pollution or environmental management and have experience assessing and managing the impacts of pollution on the environment and community. You will have a proven track record in working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams to find solutions to complex environmental issues. You will bring excellent problem-solving skills and sound technical judgement. Most importantly, you will have a desire to show technical leadership in a regulatory environment by providing well-judged advice, working on innovative solutions to complex issues and developing training and operational guidance for use both across the EPA and externally.
Applications close on 7 April 2019.
For more details visit I Work for NSW
Get to Know AELERT
06/03/2019
Want to know more about AELERT and what your membership can offer you? Have you got some questions you’d like to ask our Chair or panellists?
Now is your chance with this live webinar and online chat.
AELERT is a network of environmental regulators and law enforcers. Join this free webinar to hear our guest panel discuss what the benefits of the network are and hear them share stories from their vast experience in environmental regulation.
Learn about challenges our panellists have faced and how AELERT was able to assist in overcoming these as well as tips for making the most of your membership. We would love to hear your AELERT stories too and any questions you may have so make sure you join in on the live chat.
Panellists:
Mark Gifford, AELERT Chair, Acting Chair and CEO NSW Environment Protection Authority
Germaine Larcombe, AELERT Jurisdictional Representative WA, Acting Director Regulatory Capability, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
Daniel Endacott, AELERT new member WA, General Manager Environmental Compliance, Resource and Environmental Compliance Division, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
Amiette Wakenshaw, AELERT Cluster member, Head EPA Training Unit, NSW Environment Protection Authority
If you’re in Perth and would like to attend in person, email the Secretariat.
This webinar is free to all AELERT members and anyone thinking of joining.
February Network News out now
04/03/2019
The February Network News is now available online.
Hear from other members about what they are working on, read our member agency updates, relevant regulatory news stories and lots more.
AELERT Member Survey 2019
21/02/2019
Our 2019 Member Survey is out!
If you haven't already, please fill in our online survey to help us shape the direction of AELERT for the next 2 years.
You should have received the email in your inbox however if you haven't, click on the link below. Also head to the members area of the website to update your email address to keep up-to-date with the latest AELERT news.
EPA TAS considers proposal for wetlands leachate treatment system trial, Copping Landfill
19/02/2019
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has concluded its assessment of a proposal by Southern Waste Solutions to construct and operate a wetlands leachate treatment system trial at Copping Landfill in the Sorell municipality.
The proposal involves construction and short term operation of a wetland and biofilter system, designed to assess how effective the technology will be for treating leachate from the category B cell at Copping Landfill. The trial is expected to last 12-18 months.
The EPA Director, Wes Ford, who made the determination under delegation from the EPA Board, concluded the proposed development could be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with certain conditions. The Board requires these conditions to be included in any permit subsequently granted by the Sorell Council.
“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly management of leachate,” said Mr Ford.
“The system has been designed not to discharge to the environment and this has been made a condition of any permit granted,” he said.
“Stormwater management measures must also be implemented to prevent any discharge from overflow of the system to the environment,” Mr Ford said.
No representations were received in relation to the permit application. Public consultation was open for a 16 day period from 1 December 2018.
The proposal was considered by the Director in the context of the sustainable development objectives of the Resource Management and Planning System of Tasmania (RMPS), and in the context of the objectives of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control System (EMPCS) established by the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA).
The functions of the EPA are to administer and enforce the provisions of the EMPCA, to further the RMPS and EMPCS objectives and, in particular, to use its best endeavours to protect the environment of Tasmania.
The Director undertook the assessment of the proposal in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Principles defined in Section 74 of the Act.
The Director’s environmental assessment report, including the environmental conditions, has been issued to the applicant and the Sorell Council for their information.
The decision by the EPA Director can be viewed on the EPA website at http://epa.tas.gov.au/assessment/completed-assessments
January Network News available
05/02/2019
The January Network News is now available online.
Hear from the AELERT Chair, Mark Gifford about our plans for 2019, read our member agency updates, relevant regulatory news stories and lots more.
JOB ALERT: Senior Advisor (NZ)
10/01/2019
Senior Advisor Regulation – 18 months fixed term
A bit about the role
Want to make a difference in protecting and enhancing our way of life and the economy?
EPA has launched an ambitious programme to focus our expertise, resources and effort on the things that matter most to the environment. The EPA is an expanding dynamic agency, where you will have a unique opportunity to shape and build a new national RMA compliance function and enhance existing environment systems, policies and processes.
A bit about the team
The team works across EPA on the full spectrum of policy issues and has regular exposure to the Chair, the Board, the Chief Executive, senior staff and its stakeholders. The team works across the environment systems and with multiple agencies and teams within EPA, such as the Legal, Science and Kaupapa Kura Taiao teams.
To help us do this our Regulation team is looking for a Senior Advisor to lead the policy development and operational implementation of emerging environment issues while working closely with the Climate, Land and Oceans Group on marine, resource management and other environmental issues.
A bit about you
You will have significant experience in policy development and operational implementation. As well as being a great policy professional, you will also have a practical bent.
You also need to have passion, be able to work at pace and deliver. You will be working on multiple complex discrete areas and issues.
A bit about the EPA
We can offer you a role within a team of about 10 people – the team sits within the wider Strategic & Regulatory Services Group. Our offices are located in Lambton Quay and while we work hard, we also play hard and offer a various number of staff run social groups and activities like sporting teams or interest groups (lunch club; film club; gardening club). If running on a Monday is your thing, then a group heads out around the hills running up to 8-9km.
If you have the skills and experience to do this role well and would like a fixed term agreement for 18 months, then we want to hear from you.
You must be eligible to work and live in New Zealand. The successful candidate will be required to undertake and pass criminal records and credit checks.
To view the position description click here.
For additional information please contact our HR Team on recruit@epa.govt.nz
Click Apply to submit your application now.
Closing: 5pm 31 January 2019
20-year Waste Strategy
11/12/2018
The NSW EPA is leading the development of a 20-year Waste Strategy for NSW in partnership with Infrastructure NSW.
The Strategy will set a 20-year vision for reducing waste, driving sustainable recycling markets and identifying and improving the state and regional waste infrastructure network.
The EPA is a leader, partner, protector and often co-investor, and a forward-thinking waste strategy is needed to provide long-term solutions to ensure NSW is prepared for the future.
Through the Strategy we want to provide industry with certainty and set goals and incentives, so the right infrastructure investments are made to meet community needs.
Over the next six months we will work closely with stakeholders including local government, industry, experts and the broader community to ensure the Strategy has a robust evidence base and addresses the key priorities for waste and resource recovery for the state.
This will include examining similar strategies in Australia and internationally to ensure our 20-year Waste Strategy is world class.
It is expected that the Strategy will be complete at the end of 2019.
The 20-year Waste Strategy will create a long-term vision and roadmap for waste and resource recovery in NSW, and include
- New long term 20-year goals for waste generation, resource recovery and landfill diversion
- New policy positions and strategic directions in relation to waste avoidance and resource recovery
- A plan for new or enhanced policies and programs to improve waste collection and distribution
- A framework for the delivery of an integrated state infrastructure network
- An alignment of policy and regulation to achieve long-term strategic objectives
- A plan to strengthen data quality and access
Source: EPA NSW
