List of environmental issues in Victoria explained

This is a list of environmental issues that have resulted in environmental damage in Victoria, Australia.

Air pollution

• 2019-2022: An excessive amount of dust, odours and other nuisible substances were emitted by Monsbent Pty Ltd, also known as D&R Henderson, in Benalla. The company was charged a fine of $80,000 in court in 2021 and taken to court again in 2022 for failing to comply with their authorised licence.^{[1] [2]}

Industrial fires

• 2017: A fire started in SKM recycling plants in Coolaroo emitting smoke and ashes impacting local neighbourhoods forcing some local residents to be evacuated. The company was ordered to pay a fine of $1.2 million.^[3]
• 2018: An industrial fire started in West Footscray in a warehouse storing chemicals illegally caused health issues to residents and killed local wildlife from Stony Creek and Yarra River.^[4]
• 2020: A toxic fire erupted at an e-waste recycling facility in Campbellfield causing loud explosions audible from kilometres away. Some of the contaminated water used to fight the fire spread out to Merlynston Creek and Jack Roper Reserve.^[5]
• 2021: In January two fires started in Laverton North. A large industrial fire started at a metal recycling facility^[6] and a second fire at a steel recycling facility.^[7]
• 2024: A fire lasted for two days in a stockpile of recycling materials in Laverton north.^[8]

Odour pollution

• 2019: Kealba Sunshine Landfill emitted a strong smell for three years due to underground fires, Barro Group, the company got charged for several breaches of their general environmental duty.^[9]
• 2020: Visy paper mill in Reservoir released odorous steam due to its treatment process and several complaints were submitted by local communities which lead the company to be fined.^[10]
• 2021-2023: SBI Landfill in Cranbourne emitted continuous odour which impacted nearby residents. After more than 5,000 complaints, EPA Victoria took the company to court.^{[11] [12]}
• 2022: Van Hessen sausage skin manufacturer in Wangaratta emitted a strong smell due to the wastewater treatment system, more than 160 reports were received and the company was found guilty in a court hearing.^[13]

Soil pollution

• 2016: Lead shots coming from the Wangaratta Clay Target Shooting Club were found in the North Wangaratta Recreation Reserve which caused the lead levels to be above health conditions. The club closed for six months^[14] to remove the contaminated soil.^[15]
• 2018: 32 sites containing illegal medical and toxic waste were found within the 1400 acre property of Lemon Springs in Kaniva. The owner of the land partnered with a company to offer cheap alternatives for toxic waste. EPA Victoria removed more than 1,650 tonnes of liquid waste and 13,500 tonnes of contaminated soil.^[16]
• 2019: A recycling facility on Broderick road in Lara stockpiled around 300,000 tonnes of construction waste, including asbestos, which created a high risk of fire. EPA Victoria finished the three years long clean-up in 2022 after the company went into liquidation.^[17]

Tyre stockpiles

• 2017: Approximately one million tyres that weighed about 9500 tonnes were removed in over 380 truck loads from a site in Stawell that posed a fire risk.^{[18] [19]} The removal was completed in nine weeks.^[20] The removal cost EPA Victoria A$4.5 million.^[21]
• 2019: Approximately half a million tyres that weighed 5000 tonnes were removed over 10 weeks from a site in Numurkah that posed a fire risk.^{[22] [23] [24]} The removal cost EPA Victoria A$2 million.^[23]

Water pollution

• 2018: PFAS chemicals were found in groundwater at Esso's Longford plant impacting local agriculture and livestock operations. The chemicals, known to be linked to cancer in people and animals, impacted the operations of livestock operations.^[25]
• 2018: Fatty and smelly liquid were found in the Yuroke Creek, in Broadmeadows, due to a leak coming from a local dairy manufacturing company. The leak caused damage to the wildlife and vegetation.^[26]
• 2021: Foster Creek in Korumburra received wastewater from South Gippsland Water's treatment plant due to an excess in its processing capacity.^[27]
• 2022: 13,000 litres of detergent were spilled in Cherry Lake after an industrial fire happened in Laverton North and killed 20 tonnes of fish.^[28]
• 2022: Sediments were reported running through the Yarrowee river impacting flora and fauna.^[29]
• 2022: East Gippsland Water got fined twice for discharging million litres of wastewater into Macleod Morass and failing to comply with their regulatory notice to EPA Victoria.^{[30] [31]}
• 2023: Concrete gravel escaped through stormwater drains in Laverton North and caused risk to local waterways and Cherry lake.^[32]

See also

• Contemporary Australian environmental incidents
• Environmental issues in Australia
• Environmental issues in Melbourne
• Environment of Australia
• List of environmental accidents in the fossil fuel industry in Australia
• Odour pollution in Australia

References

1. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . Monsbent air pollution in Benalla Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-02-16 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
2. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . 2022-09-02 . EPA charges Benalla manufacturer over air pollution Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-02-16 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
3. News: 2019-08-01 . Giant rubbish fire costs embattled recycler $1.2m after residents claim compensation . 2024-02-17 . ABC News . en-AU.
4. News: Kerr . Jack . Oaten . James . 7 September 2018 . West Footscray fire warehouse was not registered for chemical storage: WorkSafe . 8 April 2019 . ABC News.
5. Web site: Vedelago . Chris . 2020-08-12 . E-waste recycler under pressure from EPA before fire erupted . 2024-02-26 . The Age . en.
6. Web site: Koob . Simone Fox . 2021-01-04 . Smoke warning for residents after blaze at Laverton North recycling plant . 2024-02-18 . The Age . en.
7. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . Norstar Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-02-18 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
8. Web site: 2024-01-03 . Fire at industrial site at Laverton North . 2024-01-11 . www.frv.vic.gov.au . en-AU.
9. Web site: Aubrey . Sophie . 2022-10-28 . Charges laid over ‘rotting carcass’ smell after three-year battle . 2024-01-22 . The Age . en.
10. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . 2021-11-25 . EPA fines Visy Paper over Reservoir odour Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-01-23 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
11. Web site: Waters . Cara . 2023-08-07 . 'Permeates entire community': EPA takes landfill to court over offensive odours . 2023-12-19 . The Age . en.
12. Cara . Waters . August 7, 2023 . 'Permeates entire community': EPA takes landfill to court over 'offensive odours' - The environment agency alleges the landfill in Melbourne's south-east has not complied with its laws after residents complained of putrid smells coming from the site. . Brisbane Times.
13. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . Wangaratta odour from wastewater treatment system Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-01-22 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
14. Web site: Wright . Tony . 2020-01-28 . The gun club was suffering lead poisoning... until Bridget arrived . 2024-02-16 . The Sydney Morning Herald . en.
15. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . Contamination from the Wangaratta Clay Target Club Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-02-16 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
16. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . 2023-06-22 . Lemon Springs update - June 2023 Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-01-16 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
17. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . Broderick Road Clean Up Project Complete Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-02-06 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
18. Risk from Stawell tyre stockpile removed by EPA . EPA Victoria . 20 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171024175006/www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2017/october/11/risk-from-stawell-tyre-stockpile-removed-by-epa . 24 October 2017 . 11 October 2017 . dead.
19. WATCH: Two months of work in 30 seconds. . ABC Ballarat . Facebook video . 20 June 2024 . 10 October 2017. Facebook.
20. Web site: In 2017–18, EPA successfully removed Victoria’s largest tyre stockpile. . EPA Victoria . 20 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190401233800/https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/2017-18-highlights/preventing-harm-in-stawell . 1 April 2019 . dead.
21. News: Black . Jessica . Rollason . Bridget . Supreme Court orders Stawell tyre dump owner to pay $4.5 million to EPA . 20 June 2024 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 30 October 2018.
22. News: Tuffield . Rhiannon . Illegal tyre dump shut down in northern Victoria, after owner jailed . 20 June 2024 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 6 December 2018.
23. News: Tuffield . Rhiannon . Numurkah dump owner to pay $2 million to EPA for 'hazardous' tyre stockpile . 20 June 2024 . ABC News . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 19 February 2020.
24. Last Truckloads Leaving Numurkah Tyre Stockpile . Premier of Victoria . 26 February 2019.
25. Field . Emma . 23 March 2017 . Esso Longford plant: Potentially toxic chemical found in dam and groundwater . The Weekly Times.
26. Web site: Cooper . Adam . 2022-02-15 . ‘Putrid, sour and rancid’: Cheese company fined over waste spill into creek . 2024-02-26 . The Age . en.
27. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . Korumburra – wastewater discharge to Foster Creek Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-01-12 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
28. News: 2022-10-27 . Warehousing company charged over Melbourne chemical spill which led to major fish kill . 2024-01-11 . ABC News . en-AU.
29. News: 2022-10-18 . EPA says river at risk of permanent damage from Ballarat developer's alleged pollution . 2024-01-12 . ABC News . en-AU.
30. Web site: Bradley . Stefan . 2022-08-03 . EPA Victoria fines East Gippsland Water over wastewater . 2024-02-12 . Gippsland Times . en-US.
31. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . 2023-04-18 . EPA fines East Gippsland Water Corp Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-02-12 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.
32. Web site: Victoria . Environment Protection Authority . 2023-12-04 . Fine for Laverton concrete company Environment Protection Authority Victoria . 2024-01-11 . www.epa.vic.gov.au . en.