EPA has taken the steps, which includes expanding a groundwater monitoring program that shows no contamination on surrounding properties, to ‘ensure the health and safety of the community including farms close to a property’.
The organisation has also included emergency planning for the approaching fire season into its management process.
It has issued property owner Graham White with a notice to secure the site and install signs. It has also issued an Environmental Site Assessment to determine the type and extent of contamination.
The notice restrains Mr White from excavating any of the buried waste at the premises without the supervision of an EPA Victoria authorised officer.
EPA northwest regional manager Scott Pigdon said managing the site was a priority and also a complex operation that would take time.
“Testing shows there is no contamination of the groundwater, nor are there fire dangers due to vapour seepage, but illegally dumping waste will not be tolerated,” he said.
“Through the use of site inspections and ground-penetrating radar, EPA has identified the presence of various-sized chemical containers, as well as solid and inert waste.
“EPA’s first concern is always the protection of the community and the environment from any potential hazard. It’s important all legal processes are strictly followed for a successful outcome.”
Anxiety over timeline
EPA’s update on the issue came after anxiety surrounding time authorities were taking to manage the dump led to a call for an explanation in State Parliament.
Member for Lowan Emma Kealy put the question to Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio.
She said she wanted to know why Environment Protection Authority had ‘taken so long to act’ on the issue.
“The illegal dump is the largest in Victoria’s history, with 50-million litres of toxic waste threatening the local agricultural region, waterways and the health of the community,” she said.
“The government and EPA first became aware of the site in July, 2018, but has kept it a secret from the local community for over a year.”
Ms Kealy’s Members Statement in parliament followed a meeting in Kaniva where she spoke to people about ‘a lack of information and inaction by the government to clean up the site’.
“The EPA has been dragging its feet dealing with this issue and that comes back to the Labor government and minister of the day,” Ms Kealy said.
“Kaniva residents need and are entitled to answers – not more smoke screens and disgraceful neglect and I am demanding the government and minister finally take this situation seriously.”
Ms Kealy said the Kaniva community was still unaware of exactly where the toxic waste was in storage.
“It is believed some is in 1000-litre plastic drums with some in 205-litre drums that might be plastic or corrosive metal,” she said.
“This toxic waste needs to be gotten rid of now and in a way that protects our community.
“We have all heard about other illegal waste dumps in metropolitan Melbourne and the action that is being taken to address the risk they pose.
“So why is Kaniva being put last – why is it the further you live from Melbourne the further down the list you are in getting any action from this government?
“I cannot believe that it has taken a year for the EPA to issue a notice to the landowner to clean up the site.
“And even then the EPA was only spurred into action because of a meeting I arranged in Kaniva for concerned locals and the resulting media that came from that.”
Ms Kealy said questions needed answering, including – What is the toxic waste dumped on site? How much is there? When is it going to be cleaned up and removed from site? Why has it taken the EPA so long to respond?
“I will not rest until there are answers provided to these questions, the site is totally cleaned up and any risk to the Kaniva community removed,” she said.
The entire September 18, 2019 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
