Compliance levels are good overall with most significant issues arising at a small number of licensed sites
Date released: Dec 21 2016, 10:00 AM
- Compliance levels are good overall with most significant issues arising at a small number of licensed sites, says EPA.
- EPA’s on-line enforcement information - the public can now access key enforcement information about licensed sites on the EPA website.
The EPA Industrial and Waste Licence Enforcement Report 2015 released today gives details of compliance levels and enforcement activities across a range of industries in 2015. Key findings are:
- EPA regulates approximately 780 large industrial and waste sites
- Compliance levels are good overall with most issues arising at a small number of sites in the waste and food and drink sectors
- Over 1000 complaints were received about licensed facilities; most related to odour nuisance
- 20 sites accounted for 90 per cent of all complaints received
- 14 prosecutions were concluded in 2015; odour and breach of emission limit values were the most common charges on summons
In conjunction with the report the EPA is launching it’s new on-line enforcement information initiative. Members of the public can now access enforcement information about licensed sites with key records such as EPA site visit and monitoring reports available to view on the EPA website. Information now available includes:
- More than 500 enforcement site visit reports
- Approx 500 EPA monitoring reports for air and water emissions
- More than 2000 licensee monitoring reports
Commenting on the report Mr. Gerard O’Leary, Director of EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said,
“The waste and food & drink sectors have work to do to improve their environmental compliance. These sectors account for the majority of prosecutions taken and a small number of sites account for most complaints and non-compliances. Poor operational procedures and inadequate infrastructure are the main causes of non-compliance and must be addressed. Given the overall good levels of compliance across so many sites it is unacceptable for a few to continue to fail to meet the required standard.”
Ms Mary Gurrie, Programme Manager, EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement commented,
“The report highlights that a small number of sites are giving rise to an unacceptably high level of odour nuisance and these sites face further enforcement action, including legal proceedings. Queries and complaints from the public are a valuable source of information for the EPA in conducting our enforcement activities and we welcome such reports.”
The 2015 Licence Enforcement Report is available on the EPA website.
Enforcement documents can be found under the licence search pages for each licensed facility.