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EPA VICTORIA 2007 Annual Report There's a New

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EPA VICTORIA 2007 Annual Report There's a New EPA VICTORIA 2007 Annual Report There’s a new way Chairman’s Report This year saw the This presents EPA with a The EPA team achieved a lot The Government this year made challenge, to ensure the this year responding to a major the most significant changes in environment take protection, care and improvement groundwater contamination 30 years to the way “hazardous of the environment as it faces incident in Newport and ongoing waste” is managed in this State. the global stage these new threats. It also presents pollution impacts on our iconic The changes introduce significant like no other time an opportunity, because by Yarra River. When the bushfires cost incentives to reduce all addressing these “big picture” hit, we provided the community hazardous wastes being disposed in history. sustainability issues we will with information about air to landfill. EPA has also worked to Victoria felt the heat, suffering achieve great environmental quality and advice, agreed with implement the new hazard-based the ongoing effects of drought, outcomes and lasting value in our the Health Regulator, about waste categorisation framework another round of severe summer economy. protecting their health. and to ban some items from bushfires and extreme flooding. As a modern regulator, we must We built our understanding landfill that can be recovered Our day-to-day actions are having harness the power of business of the challenges that our or recycled. This, along with an impact on the environment. We and the economy to help drive partners face going carbon increased disposal costs, will drive are all using resources faster than environmental outcomes into neutral by completing that industry to improve processes to the earth can re-generate them the future. We will continue to journey ourselves. We shared eliminate the generation of this and we need to understand how demonstrate that what is good this experience through the waste, or will support recovery and to live in a climate changed future. for the environment is also good newly formed Carbon Innovators recycling industries. for business and our economy. Network, and I appreciate the Our team delivered some great Regulatory work will always be feedback that we have received environmental outcomes this year. our hallmark, but emissions about our process and look I thank them for their continued control alone will not deliver the forward to continued discussion hard work and achievements. environmental outcomes that about carbon management. I would also like to thank the are needed. So we will focus Our Industry Greenhouse members of the Environment our efforts and continue to be Program concluded this year, Protection Board, who again innovative in regulation to ensure exceeding our expectations provided me with valuable advice the most efficient outcomes from for the environmental and and support. this work. economic benefits it achieved. We have set a clear path and We will implement licensing We’re hoping to build on this can achieve great things for our reform that provides success into the future with Victorian and global community; administrative savings for further resource efficiency we acknowledge the support business, while achieving programs. Such programs have of our partners who work with significant improvements for the ability to deliver economic us to these ends. the environment by reducing and environmental gains greenhouse gas emissions and through savings in the use of increasing resource efficiency. energy and water, and reducing the generation of waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Table of Contents What Our Team Say 2006-2007 Highlights What Monitoring fires on all fronts we do The most important thing Bushfire air monitoring (EI, R) Eel deaths investigation (EI, R, E) Pages 2 to 5 I do is assist industry to voluntarily reduce their Ecosystem protection: watching over our waterways (EI, R) environmental footprint Landfills (EI) Tullamarine landfill to close (EI, R) Cameron Brown Landfill levy online (EI, R) Business Sustainability Unit Reporting greenhouse gas emissions (E) Taking out the trash The Newport pipeline leak (EI) Geelong breathing easy (EI) The community calling (EI) How The Parched State we do it Our people have a great Bendigo water recycling project (RE, EI) Assessing and approving permanent recycled water schemes (RE, EI) Pages 6 to 9 deal of technical and scientifi c knowledge. Dual pipe water schemes: Hunt Club and Sandhurst estates (RE, EI) Bringing together Advice for short-term drought relief (RE, EI, E) Information on alternative water supplies (RE, EI) information from very Water wise: the trickle down effect diverse areas of our Yarra River focus: keeping the city’s lifeblood flowing (EI, R) business helps us to be The not-so-good oil: mystery oil spill (EI, R) the modern regulator Catching the culprits: case study (EI, R) that we are - and it keeps Forensic chemistry: the key to finding the source me on my toes! Green Stars: Our own environmental watchdogs (RE, R) Jennifer Batagol Diesel spill results in prosecution (EI, R) Office of the Chairman Community Engagement Improvement Strategy (R) Our Vision What Our Team Say 2006-2007 Highlights The Victorian community Tomorrow… EPA showing the way (RE, E, R) living sustainably We continue New partnerships with business (R, E) Our Purpose Pages 10 to 13 to refi ne our role and Water retailer turns green champion (RE, E) Protect, care for and actions so we meet the Leading the way challenges of the day, Pilkington Sustainability Covenant: reflecting the future (RE, E) improve our environment delivering services in a Laws that work for our future Our Values coordinated way Environment and Resource Efficiency Plans (RE, E) Collaboration Painting the big picture Clare Moran Innovation Life Cycle Unit The new Environment Protection (Scheduled Premises and Exemptions) Regulations 2007 (EI) Integrity Changes to the Environment Protection (Prescribed Waste) Regulations 1998 (E, RE, EI) Respect Licensing reform (EI, E) Our Objectives Increased levies for prescribed industrial waste (E, RE, EI) ...we must harness Increase resource Other changes to regulations, notices and partnerships the power of efficiency business and the Reduce emission impacts Who Manner of establishment economy to help Enhance our reputation we are You get swept up Minister drive environmental Chairman and executive positions Benefit the economy Pages 14 to 16 in this feeling that outcomes. The Environment Protection Board you are really doing Mick Bourke, something, that you're EPA Audit Committee Chairman, EPA Executive committees part of something bigger EPA organisational chart that's worthwhile Elinda Pak Organisational Development Unit All of our highlights contributed to our efforts to achieve our objectives to: Increase resource efficiency (RE); Reduce emissions impacts (EI); Enhance our reputation (R); and Benefit the economy (E). EPA Victoria is a world leader in the protection, care and improvement of our environment. What we do Î We are a leading voice on sustainability issues Î We work with leaders to improve their resource efficiency and business profitability Î We continue to protect the environment How we do it Î We collect and analyse data and deliver accurate, scientific information Î We employ passionate people and actively seek business partners Î We examine how we work so we can provide better outcomes for Victoria Tomorrow… Î We will continue to identify new ways for Victorians to use fewer resources and reduce waste to help the environment, boost productivity and save resources and money Î We will ensure that our science is relevant and useful for the future Î We will continue being carbon neutral and will work with our partners to encourage and support them to manage their impacts EPA 2007 ANNUAL REPORT 1 What we do Monitoring fires on all fronts As the effects of climate Although these areas were not change accelerate, near the actual fires, the area Victorians are preparing was heavily affected by smoke themselves for longer and EPA published daily internet and more severe bushfire updates about visibility, particles seasons. Last December in the air and health risks. residents in the Gippsland “For example if people had region faced that disturbing cardiovascular disease or reality for themselves, when were asthmatic we said, ‘Stay fierce fires swept through indoors, don’t do any strenuous their part of the State. activity’,” he explains. EPA’s involvement was Most interesting for Dave was multifaceted. In the thick of revisiting the area after the it were people like Elizabeth crisis was over. “All of a sudden Radcliffe, EPA’s Gippsland we could see clearly. It was like regional manager. ‘Oh look, there’s a big sports “It was a challenging time,” oval next door to the car park.’ she says. “A number of my We hadn’t even been able to Bushfire air monitoring staff were directly affected by see next door!” he recalls. “I Climate change in Australia is predicted to lead to an increase the fires, one seriously. Their don’t really know how people in the frequency and severity of bushfi res. In 2006-2007, in properties were under threat.” in Wangaratta actually coped – response to the widespread impact of bushfi res, EPA increased But, personal worries aside, because we were glad to get out monitoring to better understand one of the most signifi cant side it was Liz’s job to keep the of there after a couple of days. effects of bushfi res – reduced air quality. general public informed as to To continuously put up with that Adding to the regular monitoring sites in Melbourne, Geelong the extent of the danger. would have been monumental.” and the Latrobe Valley, this year EPA set up temporary bases To do this she relied on EPA in Wangaratta, Bairnsdale and Macleod, enabling us to provide staff like Dave Gooding, the more detailed information about the effects of bushfi res in team leader of air monitoring north-east Victoria and Gippsland in particular.
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