An Environmental Protection Order (EPO) is a written statutory order that requires a person or company to undertake actions to remedy a risk or prevent further environmental harm. An EPO is issued by the EPA under the Environment Protection Act 1993.
You can search the index to find out about EPOs that have been issued in your suburb or town.
You can make an appointment to view information or request a copy of information held on the public register by contacting 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 (freecall for country users), or email. Please quote the order number of the record you are interested in.
What is an Environment Protection Order (EPO)?
An EPO is an important regulatory tool used by the EPA to achieve compliance with the Environment Protection Act 1993. It is a written statutory order that requires a person(s) or company to undertake actions to remedy a risk or prevent further harm. For example, an order may require a company to stop works, conduct a clean up, install controls, change a process or activity or provide a report.
An order is a legal document that creates offences for failing to comply with the requirements of the order.
Why is an EPO issued?
An EPO is typically issued to secure compliance with the general environmental duty, mandatory provisions of an environment protection policy, a licence condition, a condition of a beverage container approval or any other requirement imposed by or under the Environment Protection Act 1993.
Who can issue an EPO?
Authorised officers from the EPA and other administering agencies such as the South Australian Police (SAPOL) and local government have powers under the Environment Protection Act 1993 to issue EPOs.
Police officers are authorised under the EP Act and use EPOs to deal with complaints about noise (eg loud music) from domestic premises.
Some local government officers are authorised under the Environment Protection Act 1993, but this authority is limited to the council area in which they are employed.
Why are some of the 'Name' fields blank? How can I find out who the order was issued to?
Blank fields mean that the EPO was issued to an individual rather than a corporation. The names of individual persons and corporations that have been issued an EPO are included on the copy of the EPO. You can request a copy by contacting 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 (country callers), or email.
Can I gain access to reports that are provided to the EPA in consequence of an order?
Yes, if an EPO refers to a report or monitoring plan that is required to be submitted to the EPA, then it is available through the public register. You can gain access to reports by contacting 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445, or email. Please quote the order number when making your request. Electronic copies of documents listed on the index of the public register directory will be provided for free. Fees may apply for hard copy documents.
Can I gain access to EPOs that have been issued by other administering agencies, like my local council and/or South Australian Police (SAPOL)?
Yes, EPOs issued by local councils and SAPOL are available through the public register. They are available on request through the public register by contacting 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 during business hours, or email.
Almost all EPOs issued by the police deal with complaints about noise (eg loud music) from individual domestic premises. The majority of EPOs issued by councils relate to breaches of the Enviromental Protection (Water Quality) Policy with regard to stormwater issues around building sites.
How can I find out if the requirements of an EPO have been met?
EPOs will outline the specific requirements of the order and the date that compliance is required by. The EPA follows up all compliance dates with a notice of compliance. To find out whether the requirements of an order have been met you can contact the EPA on 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 during business hours, or email.
How do I contact the EPA if I have questions or want access to more information?
For more information about orders on the Public Register, contact 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 (country callers only), or email
