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WHAT SHOULD BUSINESSES BE DOING IN 2019?
–– ‘Waste Crime Task Force’ was established by the NSW EPA to investigate waste offences, illegal dumping, land pollution, and theft of waste metals and other valuable recyclables. –– A task force to investigate and audit 700 resource recovery sites was introduced in Victoria between the Victorian EPA, WorkSafe, Fire Brigade, and other regulators. –– Queensland’s ‘Operation TORA’ continues to investigate unlicensed waste operators and compliance with conditions of waste licences. Duty to notify obligations and new general environmental duties will enter into force in Victoria in July 2020, with the state introducing obligations to report pollution and contamination similar to the longstanding requirements in other Australian jurisdictions. The legislation willalsointroduceageneralenvironmental duty, which imposes a broad obligation on body corporates to take proactive steps to minimise risks of harm caused by the activities of that entity. Companies should ensure they are in position to comply with the new scheme when it enters into force. NEW DUTY TO REPORT IN VICTORIA
As are increasingly working with safety, road, planning, and fire regulators, businesses can no longer adopt a silo approach to compliance and businesses ensure they are adopting a proactive and holistic attitude towards compliance in all areas of their business. Joint task forces close the detection gap and increase the chances of a business being detected and penalised for non- compliance. Businesses operating in Victoria should familiarise themselves with the new reporting obligations, and ensure that their incident response procedures are updated, and training provided to staff and managers on the new obligations. environmental regulators
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