EPA has suspended SBI's operating licence in light of significant and ongoing odour issues and compliance concerns from the Cranbourne West landfill operator.
The suspension means that no new waste can be received at the site until at least 30 January 2023, while the company takes all required action on site to ensure it complies with licence conditions – this includes stopping the odours from the site that are having an unacceptable impact on the local community.
SBI was given a notice on 30 August asking them to show cause why their licence should not be suspended. After reviewing the information they provided, EPA has made the decision to suspend the licence.
Licence suspension is an escalation of EPA's regulation of the site and comes after multiple actions are already in place.
"EPA expects that SBI will concentrate solely on fixing the odour problem that has plagued the local community for far too long," said EPA CEO Lee Miezis.
"Other regulatory notices EPA has served on SBI are still in force that require SBI to remediate all compliance issues at the site while the suspension is in place'"
"SBI's operating licence requires that there is no off-site odour and until the company satisfies EPA that it has resolved all of the issues and can maintain proper management of the factors that caused the odour, they will be prevented from accepting waste at the site"
EPA will continue to monitor the site and if the odour and other compliance issues are not fully remediated by 30 January 2023, further action will be taken, which could include an extension of the suspension or even cancellation of the licence
"The community has suffered with an unacceptable level of invasive odour and while SBI has been working to resolve the causes, they have not satisfied us that they have done enough."
Last week, EPA announced two new notices issued against SBI in addition to several existing ones.
Investigations by EPA's environmental crime branch continue and further enforcement action against the company will be determined over the coming weeks.
