THE Environment Protection Authority Victoria will launch a pilot program to help “reduce response times to pollution” in the Kingston municipality.
The program sees the EPA collaborate with council to “embed” EPA authorised officers within council to “respond to issues of noise, dust, odour and waste management arising from small to medium size businesses” and “equip communities and industry with the knowledge and skills to help prevent, identify and resolve environmental issues.”
EPA CEO Dr Cathy Wilkinson said “we’re excited to be expanding our presence in Melbourne’s south east and seeing the improvements from the first phase, including reduced response times to reports and improved industry compliance, replicated and built on in this second phase.”
“As well as responding to issues such as dust, noise and odour, which have the potential to greatly affect liveability, the officers for the protection of the local environments will also be a valuable part of EPA’s increased focus on preventing and identifying illegal stockpiling and disposal of waste,” she said.
“We’re committed to being closely connected with the communities we serve and empowering and encouraging them to assist us to prevent harm from pollution and waste.”
The program is funded until June 2020.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 4 September 2019
