Archive

This month I was pleased to release the EPA Strategic Directions 2022–2026 with the EPA Board. This document sets out our future focus on sustainable development, engagement with community and industry, playing our part in the climate change agenda, furthering the circular economy and building trust through effective regulatory approaches. We share community, business and government aspirations for environment protection and sustainable practices, and work with stakeholders to build on South Australia’s position as such a great place to live and work for current and future generations. 

On the regulatory front, a record penalty for one of our prosecutions was handed down by the Environment, Resources and Development Court. The operators of two unlicensed waste depots were fined $1.1 million. This highlights the importance of the EPA’s role as an independent regulator and the success of its technical and investigative services.  

The EPA is a science-based organisation, and we continued to provide advice and monitoring, work with communities and run programs to understand impacts to our environment and to people’s wellbeing and to enable effective responses. 

New regulations to support the Radiation Protection and Control Act 2021 were made in October. Both will come into effect in February 2023. This was the result of great work by EPA staff over several years, informed by extensive consultation with a broad range of mining, medical and industrial businesses, professional organisations and individuals. It also included engagement with other national and state radiation regulators. 

This year the EPA sponsored the International CleanUp Conference 2022 in Adelaide. With 600 delegates from 28 countries, it was an opportunity for EPA staff to present papers and chair technical sessions while also learning from colleagues from around the world. 

We also introduced Your EPA, a significant step forward to enable the public to more easily make enquiries and report incidents, and for the EPA to more effectively manage cases. This new application allows for reporting of pollution or emergency incidents and enables people to find information and track the status of their reports. The delivery of this project was a major achievement for EPA staff, and I thank them for their dedication. 

This year has also been one of change. Long-serving Chief Executive Tony Circelli left us in mid-September to head Recycling Victoria. I have been proud to step in to lead an organisation with such passionate and talented staff. 

As the end of another year approaches, I wish you a happy, relaxing and safe holiday period and look forward to working with you again in 2023. 

Keith Baldry 

The application relates to pre-treated solid waste certified to contain less than 50 mg per kg of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 

Cleanaway's application is the second received by the EPA since it released the landfill disposal criteria for PFAS-contaminated waste in 2020. 

All landfills are likely to contain PFAS-contaminated waste from everyday household products. However, waste soils from a known PFAS-contaminated site are currently not approved for disposal anywhere in South Australia.  

This material must currently remain on-site or be transported interstate. 

The EPA refused a previous application at McLaren Vale in 2021 due to the location. The fractured rock aquifer beneath that site meant that any failure of the landfill liner would have been difficult to contain and would rely upon immediate intervention. 

The EPA has since undertaken further work regarding the broader policy and operational management of PFAS-contaminated waste in South Australia, including developing draft site selection factors specific to South Australia to assist the assessment of applications. These guidelines are being finalised in preparation for community consultation in early 2023. 

The nearby community was first informed of the Cleanaway application in 2020 and has had regular updates through the established Inkerman Landfill Community Reference Group, which meets three times a year. 

The EPA will be holding a community information session in relation to the application on 9 February 2023 at the Port Wakefield Golf Club. 

More information, including documents, is available online. Submissions on the Cleanaway application can be made until 28 February 2023. 

The theme was Regulating Towards 2050: Working Together to Face Emerging Challenges. More than 300 delegates from across Australia, New Zealand and further afield, attended the conference in Sydney. 

Acting Director People, Strategy and Performance Sophie Martin spoke with AELERT Chief Executive Adam Gilligan about shared learnings and engagement in communities with lead smelters. This followed her visit to Trail in British Columbia, Canada earlier this year to tour the lead and zinc smelter run by Teck. 

Sophie was joined virtually by Clare North from Teck, Michelle Laurie from the Trail Area Health and Environment Program, Van Housman from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Peter Dolan from the Targeted Lead Abatement Partnership in Port Pirie. 

Acting Manager Compliance and Regulatory Practice Pearl Tassell presented on managing load-based reduction targets in discharges to Adelaide’s coastal waters, while Senior Environment Protection Officer Paris Bates spoke about data-derived information and reporting. 

Themes that emerged from the conference covered climate change, flood response, embedding Indigenous knowledge and cultural values in regulatory frameworks and innovation in regulation. 

AELERT was formed in 2003 with the purpose of fostering world-class environmental regulation by enabling collaboration between agencies. It is a network of regulatory agencies implementing environmental law. 

The EPA’s Kelly Clarke, Pearl Tassell, Sophie Martin and Paris Bates. 

The EPA has applied a range of conditions to the licence that seek to minimise and prevent environmental harm from the meat processing operations.

The conditions require an Odour Management Plan to ensure any elements of the facility that generate odour have management measures and triggers in place to minimise impacts to the community. This is due to be provided by 16 December 2022.

An EPA-approved commissioning plan is also required before processing starts to ensure that the wastewater system is operating effectively.

The EPA will conduct frequent compliance inspections to ensure the facility operates in a sustainable manner. The new plant has been built to replace a facility that was destroyed by fire in 2018.

TFI is required to have a community engagement plan to ensure local residents are kept informed as to the progress of the new facility’s operations.

                                                   Image courtesty TFI

The initial licence covers beef processing, with an initial capacity of up to 600 head per day, and fuel burning for the boiler systems. Subsequent stages of the development will include expansion of the beef facilities and additional small stock (sheep and lamb) processing capacity. At a future stage a new rendering plant and composting facility will be constructed.

TFI will apply to add these activities to its licence, and the EPA will notify the community and provide an opportunity to comment when these applications are made.

The Radiation Protection and Control Act 2021 will come into effect on the same day. The regulations support the implementation of the Act, which facilitates the safe and justified use of radiation and regulates activities involving radiation sources to ensure that people and the environment are protected from the harmful effects of radiation.

The updated Act introduces a general duty of care, a risk-based harms approach and establishes the offence of causing radiation harm. It also introduces tools such as orders and expiations to enable more effective regulation.

The objects of the Act are 

• to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation by applying the radiation protection principle
• to ensure that radiation sources are secured against misuse that may result in harm to people or the environment
• to recognise the benefits of the safe and justified uses of radiation
• to promote the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

The regulations were drafted after extensive consultation with mining, medical and industrial businesses, professional organisations and existing holders of EPA radiation licences and accreditations.

The EPA is finalising supporting material and thanks all those involved in the completion of the regulations.

The establishment of the GPA comes after a 3-month community engagement process in which the EPA considered all submissions.

The GPA will come into effect when it is gazetted on 8 December 2022 and will be the 9th in South Australia. It prevents the taking of groundwater from the upper 3 aquifers to a depth of 45 m.

The suburbs in the GPA have a commercial, industrial and manufacturing history and the groundwater has been contaminated, including with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), cyanide and metals such as chromium.

     A Holden workshop at Beverley in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of the State Library of SA.

Not all properties with bores are registered or known, but the prohibition covers the entire area of known contamination and a buffer zone.

It provides guidance on preventing or minimising the risk of harm to human health and the environment. It sets out the EPA’s expectations of industry in complying with environment protection legislation and policies.

The EPA will use this guideline to regulate the sector, such as when assessing development referrals and licence applications.

Businesses that should refer to the guideline include motor vehicle wrecking yards, auto dismantlers or recyclers, scrap metal dealers handling end-of-life vehicles, vehicle export operations and support services for the auto recycling industry, including waste oil collectors.

Pumping began in late September and ceased after a scientific and technical assessment by state government agencies once the pond level had decreased and surface salinity measurements showed no expansion of the area of saltmarsh affected by high-salinity water.

Consequently, the EPA’s data loggers have been removed but the regular monitoring program by the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) will still continue.

The EPA will continue to provide scientific assistance and support to DEM as required.

The Groundwater Prohibition Area (GPA) was established in February this year in parts of Edinburgh, Direk, Burton, Salisbury North, Penfield, Paralowie and Waterloo Corner due to contamination by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The current GPA covers an area from the Edinburgh RAAF precinct to Port Wakefield Rd at Burton.

The proposed second stage would cover an adjoining area from Port Wakefield Rd to the Barker Inlet – taking in parts of Waterloo Corner, Bolivar and St Kilda - and would prohibit the taking of groundwater to a depth of 20 metres.

Investigations by an independent site contamination auditor for the Department of Defence reviewed transport pathways and indicated that the PFAS in groundwater is expected to continue slowly migrating towards the coast.

The EPA will be undertaking consultation until 2 February 2023 with residents, property owners and groundwater users in the proposed area. There are about 60 properties in the area.

Further information about the proposed Stage 2 GPA is available on the Engage EPA website.   

Defence investigations and its PFAS management

A review of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016, and its regulations, is undergoing a final stage of public consultation before legislation is introduced next year. The draft reforms address issues raised by councils and the community since the Act came into effect. 

The changes would create a new offence related to the installation of external lights, air-conditioners and machinery such as pool pumps that cause local nuisance.  

Dumped shopping trolleys, which can block footpaths, create traffic hazards and sometimes end up in waterways, would be considered litter under the Act. 

Councils would also be able to require a trolley management plan from premises where abandoned trolleys are a significant problem. 

Under the changes, councils will also be able to seek recovery costs for urgent litter clean-ups that poses a hazard if an alleged offender is caught. 

The EPA is managing the State Government public consultation, which is open until 10 February 2023. More information, including an explanatory report.

Produced every 5 years, this report collates information from multiple sources to assess and report on the condition of South Australia’s environment. 

It helps us understand the pressures on our environment, what effects they might be having on our land, sea, air and inland waters, and what is being done to help protect, restore and enhance the environment for current and future generations. 

As protecting the environment is a shared responsibility, the EPA is encouraging the community to become involved in the development of the report. 

This could include providing photos and stories, telling us what you value most about the environment, or informing us about projects being undertaken to help improve it. 

The EPA also wants to hear from people about how they think the report should be delivered. 

More information is available at YourSAy. 

The EPA is installing several soil vapour bores on roadside verges. The area fronts Sheppard Street, Paqualin Street and Tapleys Hill Road. 

There are 19 properties and one vacant block in this area and all residents and property owners have been notified.  

The work will help determine the composition and location of the soil vapour, the likelihood of it entering buildings and whether further action is needed. 

Pumping was undertaken based on scientific assessment by the Environment Protection Authority and the site’s mining regulator, the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM). 

The EPA has been undertaking scientific monitoring and providing advice to DEM since mangrove dieback was identified at St Kilda in 2020. 

This enabled the government to intervene if needed. EPA monitoring in September indicated a rise in surface salinity at one location in the salt marsh area, adjacent to Pond 6 just south of St Kilda.  

Following further scientific assessment, the EPA and DEM agreed to proceed with pumping of surface water from the pond, to reduce the level of water and reduce the risk of any environmental harm. 

Water has been pumped from the pond to the sea via the Bolivar outfall. Work was expected to continue for up to a month, depending on how quickly water levels reduce. The EPA will continue to undertake scientific monitoring outside the salt field to assess salinity and will provide any assistance needed to DEM in support of its activities. 

Recent court penalties have highlighted the risks involved in operating or using illegal waste depots, with D&J Holdings, the operator of illegal commercial-scale facilities at Penfield and Direk, fined a total of almost $1.2 million. 

One of the companies that delivered waste to these depots was previously fined $12,600 and will pay $500,000 towards the cost of cleaning up the sites. 

Other completed EPA prosecutions in recent years have involved fines of tens of thousands of dollars each for a number of unlicensed operators. 

The EPA licensing system is in place to help ensure the protection and safety of the community and the environment. Licence revenue funds the cost of the EPA work in regulating companies to ensure they undertake their environmental responsibilities and maintain standards.

Unlicensed waste depots can be unsightly and can pose threats to the health of the community and the environment and cause site contamination when hazardous waste, including material containing asbestos, is not dealt with appropriately. 

More information about licensing is available here. Anyone can report an incident or suspected unlicensed activity on the EPA’s 24-hour hotline on (08) 8204 2004 or online via YourEPA. 

The EPA had charged that, between January 2021 and January 2022, the company had operated the facility next to its licensed facility at Beverley.  

It said the company had been capable of receiving more than 100 tonnes of solid waste for preliminary treatment during that period. The court heard that the company knew it needed development approval and an EPA licence but continued to stockpile material.  

Belington has since moved the construction and demolition waste from both sites to its new premises at Gillman. 

The significant penalties handed down in the Environment, Resources and Development Court on 21 September 2022 are a record for an EPA prosecution.

The EPA prosecuted D&J Holdings SA Pty Ltd, its manager Kevin Wayne Green and director Shirley Ann Moros over the operation of facilities at Penfield and Direk that received construction and demolition waste without EPA licences.

The three defendants had each been accused of seven offences - two counts of undertaking an activity of environmental significance without an EPA authorisation, two of causing material environmental harm and three of failing to comply with clean-up orders.

The court heard they had undercut legitimate operators and avoided paying the waste levy.

D&J Holdings was fined a total of $241,500, Mr Green a total of $161,000 and Ms Moros a total of $108,500.

The three defendants are jointly liable for the $680,000 payment to the EPA, which was in line with an estimate of the economic benefit they received in committing the offences. It can be used towards remediation of the sites.

EPA Acting Director Operations Steven Sergi said the penalties represented a strong deterrent for anyone considering illegal activity in the waste and resource recovery sector.

“Legitimate operators are licensed by the EPA and pay disposal fees that include a waste levy that is in place to incentivise resource recovery and reduce the volume of resources sent to landfill,” he said.

EPA image taken in July 2019 at the unlicensed Direk site.

The project is part of a wider study of environmental water quality in the bay and the recent dive was the first for the EPA scientists.

Previous monitoring indicated that the condition of the ecosystem of the inner sections of the bay was poor to very poor over consecutive monitoring surveys.

Investigations are focusing on nutrient pathways and sediment runoff from the surrounding catchment, including surface water and sub-marine groundwater discharges.

The scientists are taking dozens of core samples of sediment from across the bay and testing them for carbon, nutrient sources and the remnants of living organisms to determine what the habitat looked like before European settlement.

It’s hoped that understanding the conditions of the past can help set targets for water quality improvements and coastal restoration.

                     Marine divers taking core samples of sediment for testing.

The EPA licenses the station, which is one of more than 80 licensed sites undertaking activities of environmental significance on the Le Fevre Peninsula.

Many of these sites have been operating for a long time, but St Kilda residents had been reporting significant impacts, particularly at night. Night-time operations have ceased until it can be established that the power station can operate within the requirements of the Environment Protection (Noise) Policy 2007.

Officers from the EPA and the Department for Energy and Mining at the information session.

Sixteen members of the community attended the session, as did representatives of the City of Salisbury, whose boundaries contain the residents’ homes.

Latest information about the EPA’s regulation of the site.

The award recognises individual contribution to best practice policy and risk assessment methods for human health and environment.

Mr Circelli’s involvement with CRC Care goes back more than two decades and he is a current member of the independent organisation’s board.

It is regarded nationally and worldwide as a leading innovative research body that performs research, develops technologies and provides policy guidance for assessing, cleaning up and preventing contamination of soil, water and air.

The EPA has developed the draft Environment Protection (Commercial and Industrial Noise Policy) Policy 2022 after extensive review to replace the current policy released in 2007.

In addition to identified improvements over time, the introduction of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 requires amendments to reflect that local government is now responsible for local issues such as noise from non-EPA-licensed sources.

The redrafted policy takes into account decision-making regarding noise impacts of developments under the South Australian planning system, including the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 and the Planning and Design Code.

The development of the new policy follows a statutory process prescribed under the Environment Protection Act 1993.

There will be virtual public information sessions on 6 and 18 October and an in-person session at the EPA on 13 October.

Check out the information on how to register for these sessions and review the documents. 

After almost 30 years working in many areas across the EPA, and 8 1/2 years as Chief Executive, I have decided the time is right personally and professionally to take up this opportunity. While we have seen a further maturing of the EPA’s delivery and approach over the years, it will of course also benefit from a new perspective and someone who can lead this highly valued organisation into what will be an exciting new phase of operation.  

I will be leading Victoria’s transition to a more circular economy and looking forward to the challenges this will bring. Resource and material recovery and a more sustainable economy have been key areas of my focus at a state and national level. I will be working with many others to contribute to Victoria’s ambitious and transformational circular economy agenda, a critical element to any net-zero emissions commitment.

I will leave the EPA feeling enormously proud of what we have collectively achieved. The authority now has an envied national leadership reputation in many sectors and a record of consistently delivering on its safeguarding and sustainability mandates.

It is very pleasing to see how far the EPA, community and industry have come in recent years, all more aligned to a sustainable development agenda – an agenda that the EPA has been advocating and driving since its beginnings in the mid-1990s.

We’ve seen great change and improvement over this time in many areas; for example, general air quality, water quality and re-use, nation-leading management in dealing with our industrial and chemical legacies, as well as being national leaders in the waste and resource recovery sector. We’ve continued to ensure the best available science, policy and risk management are applied to our often sensitive and multi-faceted issues.

I’ve also been very proud to lead the transformation for greater transparency, and earlier and more effective engagement with the community and industry when undertaking our regulatory roles, particularly where public health issues are involved. Having an outward-looking, community focused approach has meant that reforms and issues are both better directed and much better accepted and implemented by regulated parties.

I am confident that the EPA’s role will only become more important, particularly as South Australia, like other modern societies, works towards transitioning to a net-zero emissions economy. The strong foundations and the trust and confidence that have been earned across our society from political, community and industry parties will ensure the EPA continues to have a critical and valued contribution to make.

I have had the honour of working with so many amazing and committed people from across the community, industry and government. I sincerely thank you and encourage you to continue your own journey to better and more sustainable practice. We have shared vision and responsibility with you to assure our highly valued environmental assets and enviable living standards are passed to our next generation in better shape. 

I have had the privilege to work for many Ministers, Presiding Members and Board members, who have all been supportive of a strong and effective EPA, and I very much want to thank them, and recognise the support of the EPA executive team and our highly professional and dedicated staff.

Knowing our people, their talent and commitment, the EPA will no doubt continue to provide high quality services to industry, the community and the government for many years to come – continuing to play our part to protect and improve our environmental assets, improving wellbeing, and supporting sustainable development and growth.

Tony Circelli

A comprehensive review of the scheme shows South Australia can increase the recovery and recycling of beverage containers to boost the local remanufacturing industry and maintain SA’s leadership in this iconic and much-loved scheme.

Proposed changes include more flexible and accessible return options and new digital refund processes, in addition to cash.

There will be a streamlined and modernised governance structure and simplified participation and fees for the beverage sector.

A report based on the review suggests retaining existing return options and introducing new ones, including reverse vending machines, which are popular interstate and overseas.

As part of the review process the EPA set up a reference group in 2019 with representatives of the recycling sector. The EPA will continue to work with stakeholders to discuss governance arrangements, draft legislation and the transition to a new model.

The consultation summary report is available on the EPA website and features feedback from the public, CDS stakeholders, environmental group, industry and government.

The study will measure wood smoke particulate levels over the next year and determine whether air quality is within national standards.

There is increasing evidence that even relatively low levels of air pollution can have adverse effects on human health, particularly for children, the elderly and those with respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

Inefficient use of wood heaters can generate large amounts of the very small particles known as PM_2.5, which can have a greater impact on the lungs.

An air quality monitor has been installed at Alexandrina Rd and is capturing data on particulate matter of 10 micrometres (PM₁₀) and 2.5 (PM_2.5) micrometres. The data is available online in real time.

The EPA will publish a report on the initial 12-month study around October 2023.

Information about the best use of wood heaters can be found on the EPA website.

The area covers portions of Beverley, Woodville, Woodville South, Woodville West, Woodville Park, West Croydon, Kilkenny, Findon and Seaton.

The EPA establishes GPAs to prevent exposure to contaminated groundwater to protect public health.

Property owners and residents have been notified of the proposal and the EPA has been conducting assessments in the area since 2015.

The most recent EPA assessments have shown that groundwater in the upper three aquifers in the area is contaminated with a range of chemicals above drinking water guidelines.

The contaminated water is moving slowly westwards and a buffer zone for the proposed GPA takes this into consideration.

More information, including a map of the area, is available on the Engage EPA website.

The award, sponsored for the first time by the EPA, was presented as part of the Local Government Authorised Persons Association’s annual awards ceremony on 28 July.

The association is the only formal body for local government authorised officers who undertake activities such as local nuisance management, issue burning permits, litter control, dog and cat management and parking control.

Mr Newton was nominated by the City of West Torrens for his work as a waste compliance officer. Each year the council receives around 530 reports of illegal dumping and Mr Newton works to prevent and investigate dumping and enforce legislation.

He used GIS tools to map illegal dumping activities to enable cameras to be placed in areas ahead of predicted seasonal activity.

He established a surveillance camera program to monitor dumping hotspots, which has so far resulted in 21 expiations.

The council said Mr Newton had also improved the rate of rubbish removal by the culprit from 36 per cent in 2020-21 to 63 per cent the following year.

Mr Newton said he enjoyed finding solutions to the issue of illegal dumping.

“I like engaging with the community and helping them to learn different ways of disposing of their waste,” he said.

The EPA prize is $2000 to be used toward regulatory skills training and development. 

The EPA sponsored the award to support and encourage local council authorised officers to develop and enhance their skills and maintain high standards of service in the field of local nuisance.

This includes requirements for Nyrstar to update its Environment Improvement Program (EIP) and demonstrate a focus on improving wastewater emissions.

To continue recent emissions performance, in the renewed licence the EPA has introduced a 12-month average lead-in-air goal of 0.25 µg/m³ to help drive Nyrstar towards long-term performance achievements.

Like the targets in the existing licence, the goal is not designed as an enforceable limit, although it will be a measure for Nyrstar to consider its ongoing performance and the need for further investment and improvement to its operations.

The new licence, which applied from 1 July, retains the more stringent annual average lead in air (LIA) limits that were introduced in the 2020 licence.

More information about the licence is on the EPA’s Nyrstar page.

Known as Your EPA, it is expected to be available in the next few months and aims to improve the experience for the public and businesses when they interact with the EPA.

Your EPA will allow customers to:

• Raise a case − a pollution report, an incident, or information request from any desktop or mobile device.
• Step through online forms to detail their case and attach photos, documents or videos.
• Be allocated a personalised case number for tracking the status of their case at any time.
• Receive optional SMS or email notifications.
• Interact with a chat-bot 24/7 for frequently asked questions and case updates, and to be guided towards relevant Knowledge Articles.

An EPA team has been working with the expert supplier to ensure the new portal meets the needs of the community and is incorporating feedback from surveyed stakeholders.

The EPA worked with the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) − which regulates quarrying operations at the site − to determine the most effective regulatory response. DEM issued a compliance order on 20 May over the quarry’s non-compliance with its mine operations plan.

The order requires Hanson to undertake the following actions by the end of 2022:

• Prepare and implement a plan of action to reduce the amount of sediment-laden contaminants in stormwater leaving the site.
• Complete construction of an additional sediment basin, which will allow for the passive treatment of stormwater.
• Commence active treatment of water in the sediment basin using flocculants to accelerate the removal of sediment from water.

More information about the quarry’s operations is available on the DEM website.

Trail is home to the Teck Resources smelter. It is similar in operation to the Nyrstar smelter at Port Pirie, which the EPA licenses.

Both were established in the late 1880s and are significant employers in their communities. Both have also experienced similar challenges related to the impacts of lead on blood lead levels and sulphur dioxide within the local area.

EPA Manager, Compliance and Regulatory Practice, Sophie Martin, and Environment Protection Officer Kalimna Roe-Simons met with officers from Teck and the Trail Area Health and Environment Program (THEP), members of the community and regulators from the BC Ministry of Environment.

The EPA’s Kalimna Roe-Simons and Sophie Martin (from left, in yellow) with members of the Trail Area Health and Environment Program team.

They also learnt more about the THEP home garden soil replacement scheme.

“We were keen to connect and share information and knowledge, and we also wanted to learn from experiences managing lead impacts from such operations in other parts of the world,” said Ms Martin.

“Our time in Trail will help us with our approach to develop a modern, best-practice licence for Port Pirie operations into the future.”

Both EPA staff had been pleased to see that, as in South Australia, all the Trail parties were committed to achieving good outcomes for their communities.

“The pledge from all to ensure ongoing and continuous information and knowledge exchange was a definite highlight for us,” Ms Martin added.

“We spoke about creating a network of operators, regulators, health professionals and community/outreach programmes to continue to share knowledge and experiences.”

This will further strengthen transparency and increase the amount of information available to the community about legacy contamination.

It follows a recent Supreme Court judgement that considered the interpretation of information that should be flagged on titles beyond that directly related to specific title of land.

The change will require a positive response to one of the 23 questions the EPA must respond to within the environmental particulars in the Land and Business (Sale and Conveyancing) Regulations 2010.

It will mean that future potential purchasers are made aware of EPA assessments that are underway in an area.

Around 100 properties in an EPA assessment area at Ethelton will be the first to have an EPA interest recorded on their certificates of tile. This will be followed progressively by around 6500 additional titles in other EPA assessment areas.

These specialists can undertake the same activities without the need to make an application, obtain an additional licence, or pay additional registration fees. This is known as automatic deemed registration (ADR).

This gives South Australian organisations, including in the medical and industry sectors, easier access to skilled radiation staff from across Australia. It also makes it easier for South Australian specialists to work in other participating states and territories.

Before starting work in South Australia under ADR, workers need to notify the EPA by completing an online form. They must comply with the same regulatory and conduct requirements as SA licensees.

ADR ceases to apply if the worker’s home jurisdiction licence expires or is suspended.

More information is available on the EPA website.

The trucks were identified during a joint operation with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to educate waste transporters about the need to restrain all loads to protect the community and the environment.

EPA officers worked with the NHVR’s safety and compliance officers, who perform heavy vehicle on-road compliance and enforcement activities under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.  

The EPA licenses waste transporters and while it does not specify the types of covers required, transporters must comply with the Environment Protection Act 1993 and take all practicable steps to cover loads.

Waste escaping from trucks can cause can create a hazard for other drivers and a litter problem on public roads, and it can also end up in stormwater or waterways.

DML Constructions Pty Ltd was found to have committed two counts of causing an environmental nuisance by failing to undertake adequate site works to prevent erosion.

It was fined a total of $9,800 and will pay prosecution costs of $4,044. It was also required to publish a public notice advising of the breaches of the Environment Protection Act 1993.

The offences occurred in April and June 2018.

The Board and members of the EPA Executive toured the Nyrstar smelter and were briefed by the staff about the current operations and its significant plans for the site.

The board also met with staff from the Targeted Lead Abatement Program and discussed its role in reducing the impact of blood lead levels in children.

           Board members and EPA staff with Nyrstar representatives touring the Port Pirie
          smelter.

A stakeholder forum enabled community leaders to raise important local issues, including the EPA’s regulation of Nyrstar and what might be considered in its licence renewal this year. There was recognition at this forum of the work done by the EPA and Nyrstar and a commitment to continue to inform the community about the licensing approach.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said the board recognised that Nyrstar’s facility was one of the EPA’s most important regulated sites.

“Everyone’s aim is to continue reducing lead emissions as much as possible and introduce measures to ensure these can be sustained into the future,” he said.

The EPA has been dealing with an increase in local government referrals of development applications for dairy farm upgrades as the industry considers opportunities to expand.

While the EPA does not licence dairy farms, their operators must adhere to the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015 and the Code of Practice for Milking Shed Effluent.

                   Senior Environment Protection Officer Dave Palmer taking water samples
                   for further testing.

The EPA officers discussed the importance of effective effluent management systems and environmental outcomes with dairy farmers looking to expand dairy production.

They also collected water samples from raw and treated effluent ponds and sent them for independent laboratory analysis.

This will help determine differences in water quality parameters between raw milking shed effluent and effluent that had been passed through a screw press treatment process, which is designed to remove solids from the effluent. The results from this data will help the EPA assess nutrient and water balances of dairy farm operations.

SEM Utilities has been convicted in the Environment, Resources and Development Court of two counts of causing an environmental nuisance and fined a total of $12,600 for offences under the Environment Protection Act 1993.

The additional $500,000 payment will be held in trust by the Environment Protection Authority for the owners to access for remediation of the sites at Penfield and Direk.

The first count in the prosecution by the EPA involved SEM delivering more than 35,000 tonnes of concrete, bitumen, brick, pavers, rubble and soil from its commercial operations between September 2017 and April 2018 to a site at Pellew Rd, Penfield.

In early 2018 this site was closed after intervention by the EPA.

The second count involved the delivery of 42,000 tonnes of waste between April 2018 and April 2019 to a site at Helps Rd, Direk.

Both sites were operated by D&J Holdings Pty Ltd and Kevin Green and neither had the required EPA licence. The prosecution of these operators is continuing.

All licensed waste and recycling depots are listed on the EPA website. 

The UK-registered company will pay a total of $65,319 for the penalty and technical expenses, plus almost $11,000 for legal costs.

The February 2020 spill led to multiple public complaints to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) about odours and health effects from the fumes, and the EPA said the company had not taken all reasonable steps to prevent the hose failure.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said an assessment of the incident by an independent environmental consultant had supported the impacts reported by the 16 people who complained or made reports to the EPA.

“After an investigation the EPA was satisfied that BP Shipping Limited had caused material environmental harm through the odours from the spilled fuel affecting the community,” Mr Circelli said.

The BP Shipping vessel British Engineer was moored at the Australian Terminals Operations Management Terminal at Largs Bay, transferring Jet A-1 fuel to the Mobil onshore terminal on 29 February 2020.

The pressurised liquid chemical hose failed at the British Engineer’s discharge point, sending an unknown quantity of fuel onto the deck of the vessel and into the Port River.

The EPA negotiated a civil penalty as an alternative to criminal prosecution.

                                        The failed pressurised liquid chemical hose.

The community panel formed for the Victoria Road Air Quality Study recently presented its report to City of Port Adelaide Enfield elected members.

The project – a partnership between the council and the EPA – was established in response to community concerns about the health impacts of traffic-related emissions.

Victoria Road is the main arterial road on the peninsula and is a key freight route. The region is home to industrial and commercial activities, port and defence facilities and residential areas, and traffic volumes have grown over time.

Community representatives collaborated on the study from the outset, and an independent facilitator managed the co-design process used to work with the group.

The process included the creation of the community panel, which had input into the selection of the 6 air quality monitoring sites. Six community members were joined by scientific advisers from the EPA and SA Health, as well as project support staff from the council and local ward councillors as observers.

EPA Director Science and Systems Keith Baldry said the findings of the study indicated that air quality was generally good on the peninsula. It found that transport-related emissions such as particulate matter 2.5 micrometres or less (PM_2.5) were mostly below the national maximum standard, except during the winter when the combination of wood heater smoke and weather conditions resulted in poorer air quality.

Overall concentrations of measured pollutants were similar to those observed in other parts of metropolitan Adelaide.

“Monitoring began in March 2020 and was completed in May 2021,” Mr Baldry said.

“The start of the study coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic so there was less traffic during the lockdowns of the first few months. The study was therefore extended by several months.”

The study monitored outdoor air to analyse air quality and emissions from traffic on Victoria Road and the surrounding residential areas. Data from the monitors was streamed on the EPA website.

“One of the outcomes of the process is that a collaborative model has been developed that can be used in future for monitoring air quality in partnership with key operators and communities,” Mr Baldry said.

Community panel report

The EPA is responsible for regulating the safety of medical radiation facilities. This includes radiation safety for workers, patients and the public, as well as environmental safety.

The Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research on North Terrace in Adelaide will be Australia’s first.

Proton therapy is a precise, non-invasive radiotherapy that can destroy cancer cells with high-energy, positively charged particles (protons), while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue including vital organs. The technology could enable life-saving therapy for patients with currently ‘inoperable’ cancers.

The protons will be sent to treatment rooms through large gantries able to deliver the beam over a 180-degree angle with millimetre accuracy. The giant apparatus will be housed in three stories of the new building.

The centre is now under construction and is expected to be completed in 2023. The proton therapy machine will then undergo 12 to 18 months of installation and testing before patient treatment begins.

EPA officers Kavitha Srinivasan and Artem Borysenko have specialist skills in the technical aspects of proton therapy and will be involved with approving and regulating the new technology.

The EPA has licensed the Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s (DIT) contractor, Maritime Constructions, to undertake the work.

The department was required to consult with the District Council of Grant and the local community to ensure the work met community expectations.

The work is needed to ensure the safety of the harbour, boat ramp and mooring areas.

The project will include the removal of about 20,000 cubic metres of material at the harbour entrance and mooring grounds. About half is seagrass and algal material that has built up in the channel and the rest is sand that has built up at the entrance to the harbour.

The organic materials are being screened, drained and transported to the adjacent western beach. Sand dredged from the harbour entrance will be deposited for replenishment of sandy beaches east of the harbour. The newly developed screening container was trialled in late March and is being redesigned to make it more efficient.

The offshore dredge runs a pipe to the shore, where the seagrass is screened and drained before being removed by truck.

The EPA’s regulatory involvement in dredging is usually to ensure the protection of seagrass and algal cover. It has required DIT to undertake every possible action to reduce the impact of the dredging on marine life and seagrass, and to implement the most environmentally sustainable dredging methodology.

The nature and amount of decomposing organic material in the channel meant the seagrass could not be discharged offshore because it could not be guaranteed that the hydrogen sulphides created from the decomposition would not affect the near-shore environment and the crayfish industry.

More information is available from DIT.

EPA staff from the regulatory and engagement teams have been involved with the project and have worked to ensure that the material will be remediated at a more suitable site and will be reused and not sent to landfill.

Non-friable asbestos was discovered in the material in December 2021 and the plan now is to move it to the company’s site at Gillman for remediation.

The EPA has agreed on a plan that includes dust and noise management and engagement with the Beverley community.

Air monitoring for asbestos will be carried out when the asbestos-containing material is being removed.

Environment protection orders will remain in place until the affected material is removed, which is expected to have been completed by the end of June this year.

The EPA continues to monitor the site and undertake regular inspections for compliance.

They were prohibited by the Environment, Resources and Development Court from receiving waste at 542 Waterloo Corner Road, Burton, or any other site.

In addition to writing to more than 50 customers they have dealt with or received waste from, the company and Mr Green must display signs at the entrance to the property to advise that the site is closed and that penalties could apply to anyone depositing waste there.

“No approvals for the operation of a waste recovery facility, waste reprocessing facility, or a landfill depot at this site have been obtained from the Environment Protection Authority,” the signs must read.

Disobeying the order may constitute contempt of court, for which an offender may be liable to imprisonment, a fine or other punishment. Anyone who knows of the orders and does anything that helps or permits the company or Mr Green to disobey these orders may be similarly penalised.

In seeking the order, the EPA alleged that at no time had the company or Mr Green held a licence under the Environment Protection Act 1993 to undertake a prescribed activity of environmental significance.

Existing legislation and policies in South Australia already restrict mercury exposure from industrial activity, but the new restrictions and prohibitions on mercury or mercury compounds will be an important consideration for new proposals and developments.

Changes at existing facilities like smelting and roasting of non-ferrous metals, waste incineration, cement clinker production and coal-fired industrial boilers will all now be considered in the context of meeting the convention commitments.

Major highlights of the convention include:

• a ban on new mercury mines
• phasing out the use of mercury in some products and processes
• control measures on emissions into air and on releases to land and water from point sources
• regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale gold miners.

The EPA will be working with businesses and planning authorities to explain how they might be affected.

Planning authorities will need to be aware which activities are restricted and prohibited under the convention, in relation to new developments.

Mercury persists in the environment once released and can travel large distances in oceans and the atmosphere, even in remote locations.

In people and animals it can harm the immune system at low levels, and can affect the brain, heart, kidneys and lungs.

The Minamata Convention addresses the life cycle of mercury from its entry into the environment in products or emissions from industrial processes, through to waste management and storage.

More information can be found online on the EPA website.

If you have questions about how your facility needs to comply with the Minamata Convention, email or call 8204 2004.

It includes a clear and robust regulatory framework to help businesses become more resilient, prepare for more frequent extreme weather events and reduce waste to enable the advantages of a more circular economy.

A circular economy that keeps material resources in use for as long as possible can reduce dependence on new raw materials, reduce waste and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The statement outlines the action the EPA will take to help licensees build resilience in adapting to climate change.

                           Protecting the environment from the effects of climate change.

The EPA is working with businesses licensed under the Environment Protection Act 1993 to help them understand climate change risk and liabilities. It will prioritise licences exposed to climate-related changes for review and/or support.

The EPA will continue to focus effort on a clear, transparent and robust regulatory framework that incentivises innovation to reduce waste and encourage greater reuse and recycling of materials.

The EPA role statement sets out how it will support adaptation to 2025, contributing to the State Government Climate Change Action Plan.

In marking World Water Day on 22 March 2022, the United Nations reminded all water users of the need to sustainably manage groundwater, which comprises most of the planet’s liquid fresh water.

Groundwater is found in underground aquifers, which in South Australia range from local bores to the Blue Lake at Mount Gambier. Australia’s largest aquifer is the Great Artesian Basin, which sits underneath about 20 per cent of the continent and half of South Australia.

                                    SA's Blue Lake is fed by underground aquifers.

The EPA monitors and reports on groundwater quality as part of its work to protect South Australian waters from the adverse effects of pollution. It also regulates parties who have caused groundwater pollution through past chemical handling practices, and where there is no person considered liable, it undertakes this work to ensure communities are safe.

Meet some of our water scientists who monitors and assesses groundwater pollution.

Work is planned to begin in mid-March 2022 and will provide additional seasonal information about groundwater in the area, which is focused on a site on Port Road that carried out electroplating between 1950 and 1990.

The EPA has been communicating with residents and businesses and undertaking environmental assessments in the area since May 2019.

In October 2019 the EPA advised that, as a result of the former industrial activities, groundwater (bore water) was contaminated with hexavalent chromium (CrVI) and per- and poly- fluroalkyl substances (PFAS) and should not be used for any purpose.

The chemicals are not a health risk to residents unless they are using bore water.

When this assessment is complete the EPA will provide another update and undertake community consultation on the proposal to establish a groundwater prohibition area.

More information is available at the EPA website, including previous community updates and a map.

                            EPA staff checking the groundwater wells in streets of Woodville.

Aurora Property Investments, which owns the building at 7 Portrush Rd, Payneham, and one of its directors, Mr Alex Panas, had each pleaded guilty to one count of causing material environmental harm and one count of failure to notify the Environment Protection Authority.

In the Environment, Resources and Development Court, Aurora was fined a total of $24,000 and Mr Panas $12,000, plus $1,030 for EPA costs. They will also pay the $60,000 cost incurred by the EPA for decontamination, clean-up and monitoring.

It is vital that anyone dealing with asbestos seeks professional advice or visits the SA government asbestos website.

      Good Life Gym was cordened off when asbestos fibres were dislodged from its roof.

Environmental assessments undertaken by the Australian Government’s Department of Defence determined that groundwater in shallow aquifers in these areas has been contaminated by per-and-poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The GPA came into effect on 3 February 2022 and prohibits people from taking and using groundwater from aquifers up to 60 metres below ground.

                                        Prohibition depths of up to 60 metres

PFAS are manufactured chemicals that were used in a range of industrial and consumer products from the 1950s, including some types of firefighting foam.

They are a potential health risk if people use bore water in the affected area over a long period of time. Using bore water for drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools or watering lawns, or fruit and vegetables for consumption is therefore considered a health risk.

Defence’s environmental investigation looked at the presence of PFAS on and near RAAF Base Edinburgh. There are about 4000 residential, commercial and other properties in the GPA.

Soil, mains water and rainwater are not affected. Home-grown vegetables are safe to consume provided they are not being watered by water from bores to a depth of 60 metres.

An interactive map of the area showing prohibition depths can be viewed on the Engage EPA website. It enables residents and property owners to view the area in relation to their property.

A total of 3 environment protection orders have been issued since September 2021. They required the company to stop receiving, processing and storing construction and demolition waste on an unlicensed lot, and to apply a sealant to stockpiles on both its licensed and unlicensed premises.

The company was also required to develop a plan to manage and remove the asbestos-contaminated waste.

                                      Aerial view of the Old Red Brick Company site

To provide greater assurance to residents, the EPA engaged an environmental consultant to provide independent air monitoring. The results concluded that no airborne asbestos fibres were detectable during the monitoring period.

The company has appealed the orders and the matters have been before the ERD Court, with a further hearing scheduled this month.

The company’s EPA licence to operate a waste recovery facility expired on 31 January and was renewed for 1 year only, providing greater flexibility for the EPA to ensure timely operational improvements and compliance at the site.

This work will add to the existing groundwater and soil vapour well network to see how far the contamination extends. This will determine whether a groundwater prohibition area should be established, subject to community consultation.

The contamination was discovered by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport during road upgrade investigations. It comes from chlorinated hydrocarbons, including trichloroethene (TCE) at levels that exceed drinking water criteria. TCE is a volatile chemical that can be transported in groundwater and as vapour in the air spaces between soil particles.

The EPA began environmental assessment work in the area in March 2021 and 2 stages of work have found that indoor air contamination is not likely.

            Environmental contractors conducting groundwater and soil vapour testing

Bore water in the area should not be used for any purpose. More information and a map showing the assessment area can be found on the EPA website.

“Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” the UN said in a statement.

The EPA is acknowledging some of its women in science as part of this international focus.

Senior Environment Protection Officer Louise Craddock uses her skills and qualifications to help licensees and the community make environmental improvements.

With a science degree majoring in environmental management, she worked for Primary Industries and Regions SA and SA Police before moving to the EPA.

“There is a large amount of community and licensee interaction, which means seeing many interesting industries and learning a lot about how they work. This includes meeting many different people who run these industries and seeing some amazing things,” she said.

Scientific officer Ying He works on Geographic Information System (GIS) applications in environmental management and catchment modelling in water quality management.

With a PhD in GIS, she uses new technology to turn data into information.

“I am currently developing a StoryMap for our Water Science Strategic Plan using a new ArcGIS online tool - StoryMaps builder,” she said. “The new tool integrates custom maps, photos, and videos to enhance our digital storytelling.”

For senior environment protection officer Paris Bates, a day at work could involve assessing development applications, site inspections or office-based project work.

“I like to think that the smallest of improvements accumulate over time and space to improve the health of the environment. Every day I am able to contribute to these small improvements,” she said. 

Paris has a Bachelor of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation and plans to take on a master’s degree.

In October we transitioned to a new organisational structure that better aligns with and supports our key areas of work in regulatory, policy and science services. It will bring together resources to further improve how we deliver programs as we work with licensed operators and stakeholders and engage with the community.

During this year, we continued to engage with the community on some difficult and complex regulatory matters, including the St Kilda mangroves, Nyrstar (Port Pirie), White Rock Quarry and PFAS, to name a few. We have endeavoured to work with all relevant parties, and our co-regulators, to achieve best possible outcomes. This work also highlights the critical importance for industry to actively engage with their local communities, and we have provided them with assistance and advice when and where requested. We are seeing the concept of a ‘social licence to operate’ being increasingly adopted as a critical aspect for modern businesses that seek more sustainable and triple bottom line outcomes.

A number of decisions in the Environment, Resources and Development Court this year have again highlighted the vital role of the EPA as an independent environment protection regulator when we see poor business behaviour. Our expertise in technical, investigative and scientific services is key to this ongoing success. These are often difficult issues and circumstances and I thank those staff for their professionalism and persistence to ensure that these operators continue to be held to account.

The review of the Container Deposit Scheme progressed this year, with a discussion paper covering options to modernise the scheme released for public consultation in September. This is the most extensive review undertaken for this iconic South Australian program in its 40-plus year history, and a number of game changing options are being considered. We are currently reviewing feedback provided by industry and the community.

As we near the end of another challenging and rewarding year, I wish you all a happy and safe holiday period and look forward to working with you again in 2022.

Tony Circelli

The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project is the final 10.5-km section of the road corridor and will include almost 7 km of tunnels, lowered and ground-level motorways and underpasses and overpasses. The northern tunnels will have entry and exit points at Hilton and Torrensville.

Due to its scale and nature, the project has a range of environmental aspects which will be relevant at different phases of the project, including air quality, noise, planning, waste and recycling and water quality.

To ensure environmental advice and approvals are managed efficiently and with greater levels of certainty, the project will involve considerable interaction between the EPA and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). For this reason, in October 2021 the EPA appointed a Project Manager North South Corridor as the primary point of contact to manage and deliver the timely, effective and efficient delivery of environmental regulatory requirements for this very significant state infrastructure project.

More information about the EPA’s role is on our website.

He will join the authority from SA Health, where he is Director Corporate and Business Operations and has had executive responsibility for COVID-19 quarantine management.

Before joining SA Health he had 20 years’ experience as a commissioned officer at SA Police in a number of management positions.

Chief Executive Tony Circelli said Mr Cartland had been selected through a national recruitment process.

“I congratulate Adam on his appointment and we’re looking forward to working with him to continue building organisational excellence and in leading reforms of strategic significance that continue to build confidence and trust in the EPA,” he said.

Mr Cartland will take up the new role on 10 January 2022.

The former Flinders Power site, now owned by Cu-River Mining, had an ash dam that was required by the EPA to be rehabilitated. A number of dust events occurred, and an Environment Protection Order was issued to Flinders Power in 2017 to secure compliance actions to mitigate dust.

Cu-River has a dust management plan as part of its EPA licence and has been working to revegetate the 270 hectare ash dam to achieve a sustainable landform. By 2019 most of the area was covered in topsoil and seeded with native vegetation.

The EPA officers observed an encouraging number of seedlings, with germination aided by recent rains.

Cu-River has implemented dust management measures at areas at risk of producing dust, including surface roughening and dust suppressant application. These have proven effective in mitigating dust in previous years. Cu-River also continues to operate water carts and sprinklers at the site in response to weather conditions and retains additional stocks of suppressant on site for emergency application.

Cu-River plans to build a multi-user port facility at the site, which will be used to load iron ore from its mines onto ships for export. It is expected to be operational in 2023.

A new discussion paper, 'Turning the Tide: The Future of Single-use Plastic in South Australia', includes a range of single-use items that can be made of alternatives that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable.  They include plastic coffee cups, plastic balloon sticks, fruit stickers, plastic soy sauce fish packets and bread tags.

The consultation process, being managed by Green Industries SA, seeks to determine what products the community considers important, and how businesses and the community might be affected if they were prohibited.

In 2020 South Australia became the first state to ban or restrict problematic items such as plastic straws, cutlery and beverage stirrers.

From 1 March 2022 expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers will be banned, as will oxo-degradable plastic products, which include some produce bags, pet waste bags, bin liners, magazine wraps and dry-cleaning bags.

Consultation closes on 19 February 2022. Check out the discussion paper and give your feedback in the survey.

The changes aim to ensure that the levy is collected in a fair and consistent manner and continues to drive positive resource recovery and environmental outcomes, building on South Australia’s nation leading resource recovery outcome. The changes include:

• A 10 per cent daily cover deduction on waste levy payments will apply to landfills required to use daily cover.
• Operational use of waste at waste disposal facilities will attract the solid waste levy unless it is an approved operational use.
• Stockpiling at waste disposal facilities which is in contravention of EPA licence conditions will attract the solid waste levy.

Further information is available on the EPA website, including the Waste levy and approved operational use guideline which has been developed to help licensees understand their obligations relating to the waste levy and to reflect new requirements.

If you have any questions about how these changes affect you, please contact the EPA on 8204 2004 or email.

Environment Minister David Speirs has agreed to waive the landfill levy for waste generated by primary producers as a result of the extreme weather events on 28 October and 6 November 2021. 

Producers in the Barossa Valley, Northern Adelaide Plains, Adelaide Hills, Murraylands and Riverland, Mid North, Eyre Peninsula and Yorke Peninsula were hit by heavy rainfall, severe winds, hail, localised flooding and loss of power. Early estimates put the storm damage at more than $350 million. 

Affected crops included grapes, vegetables, cherries, apples, pears, almonds, grains and horticulture. 

Initial funding assistance enabled AusVeg SA to coordinate the removal of smashed glass from vegetable farms on the Northern Adelaide Plains. 

The state and federal governments announced on 12 November that assistance is available in 24 affected council areas. A State Government taskforce, led by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), is assessing all regions. The EPA is a member of the taskforce and will administer the levy waiver arrangements. 

For advice and assistance from PIRSA visit the storm damage page or call the Recovery Hotline during business hours on 1800 931 314. 

In order to reduce the incidence of illegal dumping of asbestos, in 2017 the EPA waived the waste levy for packaged asbestos taken to licensed facilities. However, the waste levy has continued to apply to the disposal of all asbestos-contaminated soil.

The EPA website provides information about the asbestos levy waiver and clearly identifies what the waiver applies to and what is excluded.

The EPA is aware that some waste receiving facilities may have been incorrectly accepting waste soil contaminated with asbestos and reporting it as exempt from the waste levy.

For disposal and levy purposes, soil contaminated with asbestos must be reported correctly.

Correctly characterising and recording wastes, as well as using the EPA’s online waste tracking system, helps prevent waste going to the wrong facility and reduces both the environmental risks and the potential for unfair competition.

Penalties are proportionate with the amount and time for which misreporting has occurred.

Visit the EPA website for information about the online tracking system and how to apply for a user account.

Applications will open on 10 December for the first round, which will focus on bushfires, flood and tropical cyclone-related projects.

Preparing Australian Communities – Local Stream funds projects that help communities to reduce the impact of climate change-related disasters and to withstand and recover from events more effectively.

The eligible categories are planning, awareness and capacity, and infrastructure. Grants range from $20,000 to $10 million and priority is given to projects in areas where there is a greater risk of natural hazards, based on information from state governments and the Australian Climate Service.

Applications close on 6 January 2022. More information on eligibility and applications is available from the Australian Government

The penalty relates to contraventions of the Environment Protection Act 1983 in 2018 at the company’s Monash facility that were detected during a routine compliance inspection. The conditions related to the storage of wine waste. The company later failed to meet the deadline set out in a clean-up order.

Winemasters will pay a negotiated penalty of $24,948 and EPA legal costs of $2,000.

He has 17 years’ experience as a senior environmental regulator since joining the EPA in 2004 and has developed and delivered regulatory reforms that result in change and successful outcomes. He had been acting in the role since mid-year.

In addition to his regulatory work at the EPA, he has significant state, national and international operational experience through working in the mining sector, with other industrial sectors, in the consulting sector and academia.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said Mr Pruszinski had been selected following a rigorous search and recruitment process.

“I congratulate Andrew on his appointment and we’re looking forward to working with him in supporting our significant ongoing regulatory efforts and leading future best practice regulatory reforms,” he said.

Summer beach alerts have resumed and enable anyone to receive advice about times when the water quality at local beaches might not be suitable for swimming.

Water quality can be affected by rainfall that flushes stormwater into the sea and discolours the water, especially around stormwater drains.

Beach users can sign up on the EPA website to receive alerts by email or SMS specifically for Grange, Henley, Hallett Cove, Christies Beach, Noarlunga or Moana, as these are near the mouths of rivers or creeks or large stormwater outfalls.

The advice will be sent during periods of poor water quality and swimming should be avoided in discoloured water after rain events for about 72 hours.

The scheme, which is Australia’s first, has undergone a number of changes since being introduced 44 years ago, but new technology and the ability to recycle more container materials have presented an opportunity for significant enhancements. The ability to improve the scheme’s governance has also been identified. 

More than 600 million container deposit scheme (CDS) beverage containers (more than 40,000 tonnes) are returned by South Australians for refund and recycling each year.  

Under the proposals outlined in the review’s discussion paper, around 70 million more containers could be recycled each year, creating more than $70 million in economic benefits. 

Applying circular economy objectives would make more high-value glass and plastic beverage container materials available for remanufacturing. The benefits of modernising the CDS include: 

• Increasing the circulation of containers through resource recovery and recycling. 
• Addressing the disproportionate impacts of the CDS on small and medium beverage producers. 
• Reducing the costs of the scheme. 
• Diverting containers away from the kerbside waste system to the CDS, reducing costs to councils and increasing the recovery of high-value container materials. 

The discussion paper is available at YourSAy, where there is a list of options for providing feedback until 19 November 2021.  

The 3 new Aquatic Ecosystem Condition Reports (AECR) cover data collected in 2020 from 18 sites in the Mt Lofty Ranges, 11 on Kangaroo Island and three in the Tod River area of Eyre Peninsula. 

All were rated as being in either very good, good or fair condition. 

The EPA worked with Kangaroo Island Landscape Board staff to see if the direct effect of the 2019–20 bushfires, and the subsequent effects of any run-off, had caused degradation of any streams. There were no indications that ash, sediment and nutrients in winter run-off from burnt catchments had degraded any streams. 

The EPA also looked at the Tod River sites to monitor recovery from the 2005 bushfires. While there was no evidence of any legacy effects, the sites were listed as being in only fair condition because of historic vegetation clearance, salinisation and nutrient levels. 

Data from the reports is used by the EPA and other agencies, as well as councils and landscape boards, to help identify and manage the causes of harmful nutrient rises in waterways. 

As a result of an EPA prosecution for environmental pollution offences, Nevarc Constructions Pty Ltd made changes to the way soil erosion and drainage management were dealt with at its Nairne residential development site. 

The case highlighted issues that can arise when dealing with challenging sites and emphasised the need for the building industry plan for sustainable environmental practices. 

The prosecution of Nevarc, trading as Oakford homes, resulted in three convictions and fines totaling $11,100. 

The case was recently finalised in the ERD Court after the company entered guilty pleas to two charges of causing an environmental nuisance by polluting the environment, and one charge of breaching an Environment Protection Order requiring urgent soil erosion and sediment runoff control measures. 

The case related to incidents in 2018, when the EPA received complaints from residents near an Oakford Homes development at Nairne. The EPA found poor erosion control resulted in discharges of soil, clay, gravel or sand onto neighbouring properties and into Nairne Creek. 

The EPA’s prosecution of Nevarc’s civil works contractor, DML Constructions Pty Ltd, is still before the ERD Court. 

All businesses licensed by the EPA have general environmental obligations. 

EPA officers responded to a discharge event in August 2018. This creek at Nairne near the Nevarc development site was affected by runoff. 

The 30 September meeting was organised after Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) extended a closure on fishing in the Port Pirie estuary and parts of Germein Bay due to heavy lead and cadmium contamination.  

SA Health warns that eating fish caught in these areas is harmful, particularly for young children and people who are pregnant or planning pregnancy.   

Port Pirie Mayor Leon Stephens said in The Recorder that the meeting between PIRSA, the EPA, SA Health, the Targeted Lead Abatement Program, Port Pirie Regional Council and the Port Pirie Amateur Anglers Association had been a positive one. 

“There was quite a lot of work done and presentations by the government so that we may look to the future of educating fisher persons around the Spencer Gulf area as well as our children, so going forward they can have a better understanding of the environment we live in,” he said. 

The Nori is decorated with an artwork by emerging leader Summer Sumner and its name is the Ngarrindjeri word for the pelican, which is abundant in the waterways it will monitor.

The EPA’s marine science team will use the Nori to access sheltered waters for compliance activities. It will also be used to undertake ecological assessments of the River Murray, Lower Lakes and Coorong and the monitoring and research of aquatic ecosystems. 

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said marine scientist Natan Noel, one of the EPA’s Aboriginal employees, had suggested the boat’s name and obtained permission for its use.

“We then sought a Ngarrindjeri artist to do the artwork for us,” he said. “Summer Sumner not only listened to our ideas for the layout, the imagery, and the dimensions that we needed to put it on to the boat, but she also managed to capture the very heart of our intentions.”

Ms Sumner described the story behind the artwork: “The rivers flow, bringing people together, the basket weave symbolises the Ngarrindjeri nation and the nets of our ancestors that became the bill of the Nori. The circles represent the unity of our people and your people. We are all caring for country together whilst the Nori watches over you as a protector.”

Ngarrindjeri elder Uncle Major (Moogy) Sumner performed a traditional smoking ceremony at the recent formal launch of the boat on Ngarrindjeri country at Milang. In what he described as an auspicious sign, a group of pelicans landed in the water nearby.

From left: The EPA’s Phillip Sumner-Graham, Uncle Major (Moogy) Sumner, Summer Sumner and the EPA’s Natan Noel.

The landfill is one of the state’s largest and accepts non-recyclable household, business and construction waste from across the metropolitan area. It is surrounded by broadacre farming land.

The Inkerman Landfill Community Reference Group is an advisory body established in 2018 to help foster community confidence in the operation of the site. The group – which includes representatives of the EPA and Wakefield Regional Council - meets three times a year and enables community members to discuss any concerns and influence activities that affect odour, litter and dust.

The company has ensured residents have a direct line to its officers if they need to raise an issue, which has helped build trust in its commitment to retaining its social licence.

The group is a good example of how licensed operators can work with the public. The EPA’s Industry guideline for community engagement sets out how this can be achieved and why it is important for businesses to engage with communities.

EPA Director Science and Systems Keith Baldry presented the Environmental Innovation Award, which went to SA Premium Cement and Concrete for a closed-circuit waste management system at its concrete batching operation at Mile End. 

The plant is a low-impact operation that is environmentally superior and not common in Australia due to the high capital investment required. It is the only one of its type operating in South Australia, and significantly reduces or otherwise eliminates issues of dust emissions, noise and spillage. The closed-circuit system includes a world-first robotic bowl cleaner to overcome the main limitation of wet mix plants – the cleaning and maintenance of the wet mix bowl.

EPA Director Keith Baldry (left) who presented the award to Kane Salisbury

After receiving an update on key projects and environmental improvements, he toured the site to see the changes made since his previous visit and discussed Nyrstar’s work to further develop its relationships with stakeholders.

Later Mr Pruszinski met with former EPA Director Peter Dolan, who is now the Executive Director of the Targeted Lead Abatement Program (TLAP) at Port Pirie.

From left: Nyrstar’s General Manager Operations Mat Lynn and Manager Environment and Quality Rachel O’Halloran with the EPA’s Andrew Pruszinski. Picture: Nyrstar

Environmental assessments by the Australian Government’s Department of Defence have determined that groundwater in shallow aquifers in these areas has been contaminated by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS are manufactured chemicals that were used in a range of industrial and consumer products from the 1950s, including some types of firefighting foam. They are a potential health risk if people use contaminated bore water over a long period of time.

The proposed GPA covers parts of Edinburgh, Direk, Burton, Salisbury North, Penfield, Paralowie and Waterloo Corner. Defence’s environmental investigation looked at the presence of PFAS on and near RAAF Base Edinburgh. There are about 4,000 residential, commercial and other properties in the proposed GPA.

    RAAF Edinburgh Airport

Residents in the area should not use water from bores to a depth of 60 m for any purpose, including drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools or watering lawns, or fruit and vegetables for consumption.

Groundwater from bores in deeper tertiary aquifers, such as those used by schools and councils, is not known to be affected. Soil, mains water and rainwater are not affected. Home-grown vegetables are safe to consume provided they are not being watered by water from bores to a depth of 60 m. 

Subject to any new COVID restrictions, there will be a community information session on 14 October where staff from Defence, EPA and SA Health will be available to answer questions. Registration is essential. Community consultation will remain open until 16 November.

About 700 litres of sulfuric acid was discharged from the company’s smelter site into First Creek at Port Pirie on 31 January, 2019, with the potential impacts on the environment lasting until 2 February 2019.

Nyrstar admitted the leak had the potential to cause environmental harm to fish and other plant and animal life, which is an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1993.

It cooperated with the EPA’s investigation and has made a number of improvements to its plant and practices.

Adelaide Ship Construction International (ASCI) was recently convicted in the Environment, Resources and Development Court and fined $25,200 for 2 breaches of its EPA licence in 2019.

The company had entered guilty pleas in August to both counts, which related to work on its slipway at Port Adelaide. ASCI employees were water-blasting the red hull of a tugboat and red liquid was seen running from the slipway into the Port River. The mesh-like bunting placed on the slipway had failed to prevent the liquid from running into the river.

The wastewater contained anti-fouling paint, which is toxic to marine life.

The EPA said the company failed to meet its licence requirement to take all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent wastewater from discharging into the river, and to ensure that all employees and contractors were informed of the licence conditions.

In his decision, Judge Durrant said his sentence must consider the deterrent effect to others, and that the offences 'go directly to the protection of the environment'.

“I consider it to be of significant concern that the shareholders and directors involved in the day-to-day operation did not appreciate the conditions and the need to comply with the licence,” he said.

“Education and understanding are important components of the protection of the environment and compliance with environmental standards.”

More information about the EPA licensing system.

The EPA Board will now use its discretion to determine when summits will be held and when more suitable or targeted engagement processes will be undertaken instead.

The amendment to section 19 of the EP Act is part of the Statutes Amendment (COVID-19 Permanent Measures) Act 2021 and was passed by Parliament in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The amendment has been made in response to uncertainty about whether the EPA can hold face-to-face roundtable conferences due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements.

The EPA has significantly developed its engagement capability over the past decade. It has tailored engagement processes, networks and relationships with industry, other government and community stakeholders.

The need for a roundtable conference will now be based on a particular need and suitability in light of any social distancing requirements, and considered alongside the EPA’s broader policy and engagement objectives and activities.

For more information about EPA Board summits, including this year’s Board Summit on Climate Change.

The EPA undertakes community engagement on a range of matters and can require organisations to do the same if there is a high level of community interest in their activities.

Businesses whose work has an impact on the environment can establish beneficial links with the community by communicating scientific and regulatory data and giving advance notice of work.

The EPA’s new Guideline for community engagement sets out what the EPA expects of businesses and provides advice on how to engage effectively.

It includes information on how to develop a community engagement plan, identify stakeholders and run a community information session.

The guideline can be downloaded from the EPA website.

Sediment from the quarry entered Third Creek at Horsnell Gully after heavy rain in July, prompting complaints from residents.

The operator, Hanson Construction Materials, must comply with several surface water criteria in running the quarry. DEM and the EPA are responsible for regulating sediment discharges from sources such as the quarry.

There is also an environment improvement program in Hanson’s EPA licence that requires a range of actions to improve stormwater quality and reduce sediment discharge.

While acknowledging that Hanson was working towards bringing the site within compliance, the EPA said the company must undertake further measures to manage stormwater. This included reconstruction of a second sediment basin to capture and retain more sediment on-site.

The EPA and DEM require Hanson to continue to monitor sediment run-off and implement further measures to control run-off to the creek system.

An August community update confirmed that shallow groundwater in the assessment area was contaminated with poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and metals.

Previous groundwater monitoring showed varying levels of these contaminants, so the EPA installed and sampled additional wells. These new results confirmed the contamination and residents have been reminded that they should not use bore water for any purpose.

The elevated concentrations of PFAS are most likely due to the use of sewage sludge that was spread during the development of West Lakes.

Lake water, tap water and rainwater are not affected.

For more information or a copy of the groundwater monitoring test results visit EPA Engage. 

This is an interim measure while the EPA conducts a review of the fee structure.

Senior Environment Protection Officer Tim Gubbin said amendments to the EPA’s licence fee structure would be considered during the review in order to promote the beneficial reuse of wastewater by olive processors.

“In the interim, olive processors can apply for the fee reduction where they can show that they are either reusing the water, such as for sustainable irrigation, or supplying it to another licensed operator for sustainable reuse,” he said.

“The opportunity to reduce fees is an incentive for businesses to operate more sustainably.

“Allowing partial fee relief now, while the legislative changes are being undertaken, gives the EPA a greater ability to promote use that is consistent with the waste management hierarchy, under which disposal of waste water to sewer is the least preferable outcome.”

Licence fees help the EPA achieve cost recovery for its regulation of onsite activities and encourage improved practices.

The new arrangement will reduce fees for complying processors by about $6400 a year.

Processors seeking further information can contact the EPA.

On 21 April 2021 the EPA Board held an online summit on the theme of climate change risks, liabilities and opportunities. The summit was co-hosted by the Premier’s Climate Change Council and designed in collaboration with AiGroup.

A package of event material, including recordings of presentations from experts and industry leaders, is now available on the EPA website.

This package will be most useful for small to medium businesses seeking to understand how climate change may affect them and looking for ideas for practical action.

Topics included the financial, economic, transitional and physical risks that businesses should consider, along with practical information on data, tools and opportunities.

Informative presentations were delivered by speakers from Minter Ellison, AiGroup and the Department for Environment and Water, with case studies on how to address climate risk and liabilities provided by AGL and City of Adelaide.

In closing the event, EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli asked attendees to connect with the EPA if sector or theme-based workshops on adapting to climate change would be useful.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, please send them to the EPA.

The EPA works with key industries to help them meet their environmental obligations, and routine inspections provide an opportunity to review current practices and assess compliance against the conditions of environmental authorisations.

Information obtained during these sector-specific inspections can also be used to ensure licence conditions are suitable and appropriate.

In 2020, the EPA reviewed a total of 110 operators in the abrasive blasting, chemical works, chemical storage and hot mix asphalt preparation sectors.

The latest reports present the key findings at the inspections, actions taken by the EPA regarding non-compliances, and further actions required.

If you would like more information about EPA sector reports, please call the EPA on (08) 8204 2004 or email.

Kavitha Srinivasan | Radiation Protection Officer

How long have you worked at the EPA? 2 years.

Best experience at the EPA: Inspecting a new Radiotherapy Megavoltage apparatus at a new premises, ICON Cancer Centre - the first in SA. Had a great experience in surveying the entire bunker for shielding verifications/apparatus compliance.

What is a typical day in your role? A typical day for me would be to review and approve radiation use licence applications, ionising radiation apparatus registration applications, and licences to possess applications.

How is your work making a difference in SA? My work ensures the continued protection, safety and wellbeing of our South Australian community by protecting our environment from the potentially harmful effects of radiation.

What advice would you offer someone who is interested in this career path? A quality I think is needed to pursue a career as a regulator is trustworthiness. To be an effective regulator you need to be trusted by the community that you’ll do the right thing. This not only requires appropriate powers, but you also need to demonstrate that you can use those powers appropriately with your position of authority.

_________________________

Mark Hassam | Adviser Hydrogeology Site Contamination

How long have you worked at the EPA? 14 years.

Best experience at the EPA: Inspecting sites in the remote outback of South Australia after large rains had brought the country to life. It made me realise how even the most barren parts of the state will teem with life given a chance, and how important it is to protect it.

What is a typical day in your role? Site contamination is regulated on a ‘polluter pays’ principle. I review and advise on environmental reports associated with site contamination and contaminant hydrogeology. I also instruct liable parties on their responsibilities in relation to site contamination issues and regulate high-risk sites for the EPA.

How is your work making a difference in SA? I think that my work significantly improves the state of the environment for South Australia, both for our community and our flora and fauna, through persistent effort to reach end points for assessments and remediation – determining whether contaminated land is safe for future use.

What advice would you offer someone who is interested in this career path? Besides doing an environmental/hydrogeology degree, I would also recommend doing a double degree in law. Be ready to continually educate yourself.

_________________________

Peter Goonan | Principal Scientific Officer (Aquatic Biology)

How long have you worked at the EPA? 25 years.

Best experience at the EPA: A good cappuccino and cake treats after finding rare and unusual aquatic invertebrates in the most unexpected creeks in South Australia!

What is a typical day in your role? Highly varied – ranging from answering urgent requests for information on issues affecting the condition of waters throughout South Australia or other matters relating to inland waters, to developing our inland ecosystem condition monitoring program, or working on several current water quality studies. Occasionally I will have to prioritise an urgent inspection or investigation relating to a spill or discharge into waters, and from there carry out an environmental harms assessment in order to minimise any further harm from an incident.  

How is your work making a difference in SA? My work provides the detailed aquatic science knowledge to understand the risks and harm to aquatic life and humans caused by pollution entering our waters, which enables us to make informed decisions about the best ways to manage the pollutants in South Australian waters.

What advice would you offer someone who is interested in this career path? My role involves a mix of office and field work with a great team of water scientists. We work on a broad range of topics and locations throughout South Australia, so this career path would suit an experienced professional with a wide range of knowledge and interest in aquatic plants and animals, and how they respond to water quality and pollutants. My advice would be to get a lot of experience sampling waters in South Australia and specialising in at least one biotic group – aquatic invertebrates, fish, plants or microbes.

Mass balance reporting regulations were introduced on 1 July 2021 following extensive engagement and consultation with the sector.

EPA Director Strategy and Assessment Kathryn Bellette said the state wants to continue to be a leader in waste management and resource recovery, and mass balance reporting is a tool which will support this.

“Mass balance reporting (MBR) has been implemented after extensive engagement and support from industry,” Ms Bellette said.

“The waste management industry has consistently highlighted the need for improved data and reporting to establish transparency and a level playing field for all operators."

SA waste depots which receive more than 20,000 tonnes of solid waste a year are now required to report monthly to the EPA on total waste quantities by waste stream and waste types to provide information on material:

• received at the site
• transported from the site (for use, recycling, recovery, other processing and disposal)
• remaining stockpiled on-site
• used on-site
• disposed on-site (landfill facilities only).

MBR will enable the government to identify and realise better resource recovery and investment opportunities in the waste and resource recovery sector and to aid timely compliance activity on key issues of industry concern, promoting sectoral fairness and certainty. In particular, MBR will:

• monitor waste flows within South Australia, helping to:
  • - identify and avoid excessive storage of waste at sites
  • - identify waste promoted as ‘product’
  • - avoid any illegal dumping from licensed sites.

• support review of opportunities for enhanced safe resource recovery performance at individual facilities
• underpin the operation of proposed amendments to levy collection at landfill
• further enhance the development and evaluation of effective waste policies (eg Australia’s Waste Strategy) and better inform the state’s future waste infrastructure requirements (eg input into South Australia’s Waste and Resource Infrastructure Plan and support the state’s circular economy agenda).

Increasing volumes of waste and the strong focus on resource recovery has resulted in the waste management and resource recovery industry becoming a significant component of the South Australian economy.

South Australia’s Recycling Activity Survey 2017–18 (August 2019) and South Australia’s Waste Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan (February 2018) highlight the waste industry:

• is a $1-billion dollar (turnover) industry ($500 million to gross state product)
• employs over 4,800 South Australians full time (1,657 direct, up 217 from 2016–17, and indirect)
• employs 9.2 direct FTEs per 10,000 tonnes of recycling (more labour intensive), in comparison to about 2.8 direct FTEs per 10,000 tonnes of disposal.in

It has been identified that by moving to a more circular economy there is the opportunity for further substantial employment growth in this, and in related sectors – up to 21,000 jobs by 2030 by changing how materials are handled.

The new requirements are part of ongoing reforms to support the waste and resource recovery industry in South Australia and were introduced via the Environment Protection (Mass Balance Reporting and Other Measures) Variation Regulations 2020.

A number of reference materials on MBR are available on the EPA website.

If you have any queries about MBR and how it may apply to your business email with ‘Mass Balance Reporting’ in the subject line, or call us on (08) 8204 2004. 

The EPA introduced more stringent annual average lead in air (LIA) limits from 1 July 2020, effectively requiring a 20 percent reduction in emissions.

EPA Director Science & Information Keith Baldry said with the significant reduction introduced just a year ago, it was determined that the same LIA limits and targets would be required for the coming 12 months.  

“It’s pleasing to note that emissions for the 2021 year-to-date show an improvement in LIA over the same period in 2020, and Nyrstar has achieved compliance with annual average LIA limits as at 30 June 2021.

“With strengthened licence conditions implemented in 2020, a new Environmental Improvement Program for LIA was established and is ongoing.

“This program is designed to drive continuous improvement across the Port Pirie smelter site and to minimise environmental emissions.

“The EPA expects continuous improvement in emissions performance from Nyrstar, and requires the company to provide an updated whole of site emissions inventory by September 2021. This will inform additional investment and works required to further reduce emissions.

“The new licence also requires Nyrstar to develop a Landfill Environment Management Plan (LEMP) by 15 November 2021 requiring changes to waste management activities on site.

“EPA staff continue to inspect Nyrstar’s Port Pirie operations regularly during the year to ensure compliance with licence conditions.”  

The company’s new licensing conditions will commence on 1 July 2021. A copy of the new licence is available on the EPA website.

The new facility replaces a plant built next to the marina in the 1970s, when Murray Bridge’s population was considerably smaller.

Moving the plant away from the River Murray floodplain and residential areas improves its environmental performance, by eliminating a previous source of odour and the potential for unplanned discharge into the river during high flood events.

                  Solar array at the Murray Bridge Wastewater Treatment Plant 

The new plant, at Brinkley on the outskirts of Murray Bridge, is capable of treating up to 4.5 million litres of sewage a day, 2 million litres more than the previous facility, which provides for projected population and industry growth in Murray Bridge to 2041. There is also the ability to expand the treatment capacity, if required.

SA Water General Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Amanda Lewry said the plant is one of the first non-industrial wastewater treatment plants in the country to include a biological process called a ‘moving bed biofilm reactor’.

“This technology breaks down sewage in a more compact and efficient way. The resulting sludge is turned into biosolids, which is used to improve soils and crops.”

The plant also incorporates an odour control unit, with a bio-trickling filter and activated carbon tanks, designed to remove 99.95 per cent of odour.

“More than 400 ground-mounted solar panels help power the plant, generating up to 150 kW hours a day and reducing SA Water’s reliance on the electricity grid.

Like its predecessor, the facility also recycles 100 per cent of treated wastewater for reuse, with the high quality product used at a Defence Department training area and a nearby pastoral property.

“The 11.4-hectare buffer zone around the building has been revegetated with local native plant species, and tree trunks salvaged during construction provide habitat for native birds and reptiles.”

The $52-million project also included the construction of three connecting wastewater pump stations – with one also housing an odour control unit – and an additional 18 km of underground sewer mains.

SA Water’s commitment to sustainability and environmental management during all stages of the project helped it achieve the highest design rating to date for a water or wastewater project in Australia, from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA).

The project was also recognised during the 2020 Australian Water Association’s South Australian Water Awards when it won the regional infrastructure Project Innovation Award.

This story originally appeared in the EPA’s sixth edition of Good for Environment, Good for Business which was launched at the Board’s annual Summit earlier this year.

David Alex Blackley has been penalised by the EPA, and has agreed to pay $8,400 for disposing of a boat into Gulf St Vincent – an offence under section 22 of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016. Blackley was also required to pay $7,500 to a commercial salvage operator in an attempt to recover the vessel.

The penalty is the outcome of an investigation led by the EPA, with support from the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), South Australian Police (SAPOL) and the Onkaparinga City Council.

Evidence obtained by the EPA includes CCTV footage of Blackley launching a vessel at O’Sullivan Beach boat ramp on 18 November 2018. The footage also records another boat arriving at the ramp to tow the vessel into Gulf St Vincent. The trailer used was later found dumped at Largs North.

EPA officers subsequently searched a Largs North address, locating and seizing a fishing vessel and other items suspected of being used in the operation, and forensic analysis identified a GPS location where the other vessel was thought to have been sunk.

In December 2018, the EPA and SAPOL Water Operations officers went to the GPS location and a grid search using advanced sonar capability identified a vessel on the sea floor, nearly 15 km off O’Sullivan Beach, at a depth of approximately 30 m.

A commercial dive team subsequently surveyed and videoed the sunken vessel. The footage revealed the sunken vessel had characteristics consistent with the vessel seen on CCTV being towed at O’Sullivan Beach. EPA officers also matched the sunken vessel to a 8-m vessel sold through a Facebook advertisement.

EPA Investigations Manager Stephen Barry said the EPA is aware that some fishermen dispose of items at sea to create illegal artificial reefs for their own purposes.

“This practice may have occurred over many years, however in 2016 the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act introduced penalties for anyone caught doing this. The act also has provisions requiring offenders to pay to recover such items.

“We have heard of scrap metal, whitegoods, shopping trolleys and vessels being towed out and dumped in waters around the State.

“Sunken items can contain pollutants such as oils, greases and chemicals and pose a risk to navigation and a hazard to commercial fishing equipment.

“This also undermines authorised actions by government to create artificial reefs for habitat restoration and public recreation.”

Anyone with information about illegal disposals in the marine environment should contact the EPA on 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 (country callers only), or email.

The EPA has issued an environment protection order (EPO) in relation to the find, requiring FRWA to stop selling and supplying the crushed concrete material, to identify locations where it was used and to notify customers.

Alexandrina Council is the EPA licence holder for the depot, which is operated by FRWA.

FRWA has engaged an asbestos consultant to undertake an assessment of each location where the material has been used, provide short term management advice to the landholders concerned, and prepare and implement plans for remediation.

The contamination occurred last September when asbestos was mixed with construction and demolition material which was crushed into road base aggregate at the authority’s Goolwa depot.

The contaminated material was sold until March from recycling depots at Goolwa, Strathalbyn and Yankalilla.

FWRA has set aside funds to begin removing the contaminated material from properties which have registered with environmental consultants Greencap.

The EPA was notified again recently that FRWA has discovered asbestos contamination within another batch of crushed concrete material produced at the Goolwa depot in December 2018, and sold to customers throughout the region.

FRWA is again notifying customers who have received this material, and has publicised the matter through the news media to reach customers whose details were not recorded.

The EPA requires the Alexandrina Council and FRWA to ensure appropriate assessment and remediation is undertaken at all locations where the contaminated material has been used.

The commencement date for automatic deemed registration (ADR) will be different for each state and territory. Some jurisdictions commenced on 1 July 2021. A start date for South Australia is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be in the latter part of 2021.

EPA Principal Project spokesperson Tobias Hill said licensed workers will no longer need to apply for a separate licence when working in another state or territory if they have a licence that covers the activities they intend to carry out in the second state or territory. 

“Regulated occupations which will be covered by ADR include those requiring an EPA licence to operate radiation apparatus and occupations which use or handle radioactive materials,” Mr Hill said.

Some occupational registrations may initially be excluded from ADR for up to 12 months and some may also be excluded for 5 years (on a renewable basis) if there is a significant risk to consumer protection, the environment, animal welfare or the health and safety of workers or the public.

“A person entitled to ADR can undertake activities in South Australia that fall within the scope of their home state or territory licence or registration in South Australia, subject to the requirements of SA legislation,” Mr Hill said.

“A person may be required to notify the EPA before commencing any work and to provide evidence of their home state or territory licence or registration. The notification can be made online once ADR commences in SA.”

Further information is available on the Australian Government website: Improving occupational mobility | Deregulation (pmc.gov.au)  

Mr Pruszinski has been appointed Acting Director for the next 6 months while the EPA undertakes a formal recruitment process.

During his term Mr Pruszinski intends to visit as many EPA licensed sites as possible to meet with site operators.

Originally from Broken Hill, he has had a long career in environmental practice, working previously with Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) and CSR Australia, before starting with the EPA in 2004 as a Principal Adviser in Site Contamination.

In 2012 Mr Pruszinski was appointed Manager Site Contamination and has since been integral in the development and implementation of site contamination legislation and the SA Government Orphan Site Program, as well as delivering national programs through his close working relationship with CRC CARE.

He is a member of the South Australian Public Health Council, and represents Australia on the Working Group on the Remediation of Soil and Groundwater Pollution for the Asia/Pacific Region.

The survey aims to find out what businesses think of South Australian regulations and to investigate opportunities for reform.

If you are an SA business owner and/or operator, the Commission wants to hear your views and experiences to gain the evidence and information it needs for meaningful recommendations. Regulations need to reflect modern business practices, so the Commission wants to identify and remove regulatory barriers and unnecessary red tape and encourage innovation and investment, without compromising public safety.

The business survey will help the Commission hear from a cross-section of businesses in SA. The survey will be live until Wednesday 28 July 2021 and will take 20 minutes at most.

The EPA is assisting the Commission with its inquiry and will be engaging with the Commission on the results of the business survey and the inquiry when they become available to assist us in identifying opportunities for providing better services to the community and business.

Start the survey

Our pollution reporting hotline and call centre remain open on 8204 2004. During the lockdown, our staff are currently working from home and continuing to work closely with licensed industries, other government agencies and stakeholders to support South Australian business and the community at this time.

You can find out more information about the current restrictions on the SA COVID-19 website

If you have questions about your business or any EPA matter, or want to report pollution, you can continue to contact us 24/7 on 8204 2004 or email us.

Peter Dolan (left) with EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli who presented Peter with an Ngarrindjeri boomerang with artwork by Uncle Major “Moogy” Sumner. Peter and his team were active in Ngarrindjeri Country during the Millennium Drought when they undertook scientific work to better understand and drought impacts and provided advice on reducing those impacts.

The impact of lead emissions from the smelter’s operations has been an area of interest to Peter for many years, even pre-dating his time with the EPA.

Peter started with the EPA in 1994 when it was still part of the Environment Department, as a Senior Professional Services Officer in Environmental Management.

Since then Peter has overseen and led much of the EPA’s scientific and regulatory services, including being a regular face and voice of the EPA in the news media.

Peter has shaped much of the EPA’s legislative framework, from site contamination and local nuisance legislation to having a hand in drafting the Aquaculture Act and, most recently, licensing petrol stations and poultry farms.

The past quarter century has seen many environmental challenges, and Peter has often been at the forefront of the EPA’s response, including coordinating the agency’s response to numerous contaminated sites and steering us through the Millennium Drought.

Peter will still have a strong connection back to the EPA with his new role as head of TLAP, although his new position will sit under the Department for Energy and Mining, and be jointly funded by Nyrstar and DEM.

Peter is strongly committed to working to improve outcomes for Port Pirie people and we wish him well in his endeavours.

Peter will bring fresh ideas and leadership to ensure the goals and objectives of TLAP are achieved and that blood lead levels in young children in Port Pirie will be improved.

Peter will take up his new role on 12 July 2021.  

ANI has expanded the Osborne Naval Shipyard significantly during the past three years, so it now covers 109 hectares of the Lefevre Peninsula. The new and expanded Osborne South Shipyard incorporates numerous environmentally sustainable development initiatives (ESD).  

The new south shipyard is just the first step in the expansion and modernisation of the naval shipyard. The south shipyard now has ‘end to end’ fully integrated shipbuilding capability; meaning steel goes in one end and ships come out the other.

         The Osborne Naval Shipyard covers more than 107 ha of the Lefevre Peninsula.

ANI’s Project Director Phil Cornish said the new southern yard will support the continuous build program for future vessels up to a 10,000 Tonne displacement, such as destroyer class vessels.

“The southern yard has four new industrial halls each focused on different stages of the shipbuilding process, from steel fabrication to hull forming, blasting and painting, ship assembly and consolidation, outfitting and final commissioning.

“The massive Ship Consolidation and Erection Hall houses two 200 Tonne overhead gantry cranes, allowing ships to be built undercover, rather than in the previous open, dry berths.

“The south shipyard also includes a new canteen with commercial kitchen, modularised change room buildings with solar power and recycled water, offices and staff amenities.

“ANI progressed the development and delivery of the new shipyard facilities in partnership with Lendlease as our managing contractor, shipyard designers Odense Maritime Technology and local Australian designers Aurecon.

“We worked closely with all project stakeholders in considering, assessing and implementing controls to manage environmental risks during delivery and also during future operation.”

Environmentally sustainable development (ESD) initiatives in the south shipyard include:

• Provision for future PV cells on main production halls
• South facing clear wall cladding providing increased natural light to large workshops
• Rainwater capture and re-use for office facilities
• Low volatile organic compound paints  
• User-controlled ventilation and natural ventilation in production halls
• LED lighting throughout with intelligent control systems
• Reuse of excavated bulk material for the future western carpark sites
• Solar panel preheat hot water units for office and amenities
• Energy efficient variable air volume systems in some areas
• 100% outside air recovery ventilation air conditioning units in dining areas.  

“ANI recognises it has an obligation to consider the interests of tenants, employees, nearby residential and business communities, and has carefully considered and planned for the best social and environmental outcomes from the development,” Phil Cornish said.

“ANI has progressed completion of the works and advanced handover of the facilities to the Hunter Class Frigate Program and appointed shipbuilder, BAEMSA (ASC-Shipbuilding), which included liaison and coordination with the EPA on the establishment of relevant operational management plans and controls.

“ANI continues to focus on ensuring our Osborne development projects maintain a high priority to considering the environment in design, construction and future operations.

“We are also involved, with others, in the revitalisation of Mutton Cove, and the engagement of local indigenous artists to create artwork for the site which reflects the local environment and pays homage to the traditional custodians of the land.”   

The Osborne South Shipyard has become a new landmark in the area, and represents a major commitment by the Australian Government to support a continuous and sustainable shipbuilding program in the decades ahead.

              Indigenous artwork in the Osborne South shipyard.  

This story originally appeared in the EPA’s 6th edition of Good for Environment, Good for Business which was launched at the Board’s annual Summit.

Hard copies of the publication are available by email or online.

When Helen first joined the EPA in 2009 as an environmental planner with a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning she advised on planning policy, development assessments and environment impact matters.

Her work focused on helping council planners and applicants navigate the development assessment process.

She gained broad experience advising on planning and development issues associated with major projects, large-scale housing land developments, wind farms, landfills, intensive animal keeping activities, industrial and manufacturing projects, along with other activities of environmental significance.

In 2013 Helen enrolled in the Master of Environmental Policy and Management course at the University of Adelaide to build her knowledge and policy skills so she could further her career preparing better legislation for improved environmental outcomes.

“The program enabled me to consider human impacts on the environment in all areas of science including geography, biology, social sciences and political sciences,” Helen said.

“I was able to apply learnings from my Master’s degree in 2017 when I assisted the EPA in determining the economic cost of seagrass loss from proposed large scale dredging impacts.

“Being employed in the State Government, I was also able to research environmental governance at depth.

“I was particularly pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the review and implementation of environmental policy within the new Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 in accordance with the Planning and Design Code 2016.”

Helen’s future career aspirations include writing environmental legislation to protect future generations from major environmental impacts.

But with another addition to her family arriving in August, those aspirations will be put on hold for a little while.  

Helen recently appeared in a short video to help promote the University of Adelaide’s Master of Environmental Policy and Management. 

Port Adelaide Salvage SA Pty Ltd and its sole director Maurizio Corsaro are charged with operating illegal depots in Houghton and Sedan between 2017 and 2019.

They face 17 charges for various offences under the Environment Protection Act 1993, including illegal operation of waste depots, breaching Clean Up Orders and hindering, assaulting and using abusive language towards EPA officers.

The charges relate to an EPA investigation into alleged unlicensed waste depots operated by Port Adelaide Salvage and Mr Corsaro.

Clean Up Orders were subsequently issued to the company and its director which were not complied with.

Following the non-compliance the EPA engaged licensed contractors to remove asbestos contaminated waste in April 2020 and dispose of it at appropriately licensed facilities.

The EPA is now seeking to recover more than $600,000 in clean-up costs from Port Adelaide Salvage.

The company was fined $37,500 in July 2019 for operating an illegal dump in Highbury between August and November 2012, and another in Houghton.

In October 2019 the EPA suspended the company’s authority to transport waste for three years after Port Adelaide Salvage transported asbestos that was not appropriately wrapped or sealed, putting the public and the environment at risk.  

Anyone who suspects an unlicensed waste facility may be operating in their area is encouraged to contact their local council or the EPA on 8204 2004.

The statement was presented to the Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Court of South Australia on 24 May 2021.

It’s estimated that 700 litres of sulfuric acid poured into mangroves and creeks near the lead smelter after a valve corroded through. A series of failures and oversights led to the accident including:

• Failure to close a valve
• An incorrect assumption that the spilt acid was weak
• Installation of an incorrect valve which was not corrosion resistant
• Failure of quality control systems to ensure the correct valve had been installed.

The court heard the acid moved through more than a kilometre of man-made waterways before entering into natural creeks and mangroves and out into Spencer Gulf.

The acid made the waterways more acidic and mobilised heavy metals.

Dead fish were found in the creek however it wasn’t clear if the deaths were as the result of the acid spill or whether they were the result of an algal bloom which occurred at the same time.

Nyrstar admitted the leak had the potential to cause environmental harm to fish and other plant and animal life in the creek which is an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1993.

Nyrstar cooperated with the EPA’s investigation into the incident and made a number of improvements to its plant and practices to reduce the risk of a similar incident occurring in the future.

The company was also required to undertake an Environment Improvement Plan to prevent or minimise any environmental harm attributable to wastewater and contaminated stormwater management.

The ERD Court is expected to impose a civil penalty in relation to the spill in July.

The EPA issued the EPO in October 2020 after becoming aware of a potential leak in the liner of a stormwater lagoon at the facility.

EPA Director of Science and Information Keith Baldry said Beach Energy, which owns Adelaide Energy, repaired the leak in the lagoon liner by mid-November, as required under the EPO.

“The EPO also required the company to undertake six months of enhanced groundwater monitoring. This involved monthly monitoring in the three groundwater wells closest to the lagoon.

“The final round of monthly groundwater monitoring results were submitted to the EPA earlier this month for review, effectively meeting all requirements of the EPO.

“An EPA inspection was also carried out at the facility in April 2021.

“The EPA is presently reviewing the final monitoring results to determine if any follow up action is required, however at this time, it appears no hydrocarbons have migrated into groundwater as a result of the potential leak, which is pleasing.

“The integrity of lagoons is part of Adelaide Energy’s environmental licence, and it is important that groundwater is protected.”

The Katnook Gas Plant was initially constructed by Origin Energy Resources Limited and commenced production in 1991. Production at the gas plant stopped in 2011, but the plant was refurbished and recommissioned in early 2020 to supply gas to industry in the state’s south east.

In April, the company announced that operations at the Katnook Gas Plant would be suspended during the next financial year due to declines in gas volumes.

The EPA’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) consists of regular EPA staff members who volunteer to become Emergency Response Officers (ERO) in addition to their regular “day jobs”.

EROs take turns to be rostered on-call overnight and during weekends.

EROs regularly provide advice to emergency services personnel, EPA licence holders, and the general public about containing, disposing of, or cleaning-up a substance or environmental issue involving a contaminant.  EROs may also attend incidents to assess other environmental concerns.

In the past couple of months the team has attended and assisted or coordinated a response at a variety of incidents, including a major fire which destroyed Visy’s recycling facility at Wingfield in early April. 

Typical call-outs include reports of dumped asbestos or contaminants polluting local waterways.

A typical EPA Emergency Response callout which involved officers investigating an oily substance which entered Christie Creek from a stormwater outlet at Morphett Vale. 

Last month (mid-May) the ERT was advised about an oily substance entering Christie Creek from a stormwater outlet at Morphett Vale.

An ERO attended the site and found tens of litres of an unidentified oily substance with a moderate odour had entered the creek.

The substance appeared to have stopped flowing from the stormwater outlet and was being contained by dense reeds and wind movement.

The officer couldn’t identify the source of the substance but believed it could be associated with industrial or residential activity. Members of the public are reminded not allow contaminants or other hazardous substances to enter stormwater drains.

The matter was handed over to the EPA water quality team to determine if the substance required clean-up. When polluters cannot be identified, any clean-up or remediation is carried out at the EPA’s expense.

The training exercise, dubbed Exercise Hot Spot, was held at the Metropolitan Fire Service’s (MFS) Angle Park Training Centre.

The EPA’s Radiation Emergency Response Team participated in a training exercise designed to practice their response to significant incidents involving radioactive materials.

The exercise aimed to assess the EPA’s capability and preparedness to safely respond to contamination events from terrorist-related activity and subsequently develop a strategy to deal with the radiation sources, including decontamination of the scene, personnel and equipment.

Members of the Country Fire Service’s (CFS) Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Technical Operations team and the South Australian Police (SAPOL) Bomb Response Unit attended to learn from EPA radiation experts the types of radioactive materials they could encounter and to understand the capabilities and resources the EPA can provide when assisting Emergency Services to manage an incident.  

The EPA is a support agency under the State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Support Plan.

The EPA’s Radiation Emergency Response Coordinator, Andrew Ostrowski, said the training is important as the EPA may be called on at any time by Emergency Services to provide specialised advice and assistance.

“As part of these working arrangements with Emergency Services, the EPA provides annual training to emergency responders to ensure they are well-equipped and prepared to respond to any significant radiological incidents,” Mr Ostrowski said.

While we have seen nothing as serious as a terrorism-related incident, the EPA has been involved in a variety of radiation-related responses in the past such as assisting with multi-agency border transportation compliance issues, and the identification and decontamination of radioactive material from medical and industrial incidents.

The EPA Radiation Emergency Response Team also provides expert advice in relation to:

• Incidents involving Emergency Services.
• Methods for using X-rays to inspect suspicious articles with SAPOL’s Bomb Response Unit.
• Procedures and training for both the MFS and CFS hazmat operators, including decontamination exercises and incident response scenarios.
• South Australian Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Committee.
• Queries from members of the public.
• Other State Government agencies.

The EPA protects the environment and health and safety of people from risks associated with ionising radiation. It regulates the use of ionising radiation in medical, research, industrial and mining organisations including use of X-rays, and the safe use, transport, storage and disposal of radioactive substances.

The strong message from those presenting at the Summit was that small-to-medium-sized businesses and industries need to plan now to mitigate the impacts posed by climate change – including likely business discontinuity and damage to business operations, as well as the considerable financial risk.

Keynote speaker Sarah Barker, a corporate lawyer with MinterEllison, said climate change poses a material and accelerating financial risk and also an opportunity for small-to-medium-sized businesses. She also warned that past experience does not represent the future likely risk to business.

Ms Barker encouraged business to look ahead, assess and plan for risks and to talk to their bankers and supply chains to consider how they should respond to climate change risks.

Speaker Tennant Reed from Australian Industry Group (AIG), advised Summit attendees to look at AIG website to view the sectors most at risk from climate change.

Mr Tennant said more than half the businesses polled by AIG last year had experienced difficulty obtaining insurance, and of those, more than half had faced increased premiums. He also noted how global climate disasters had increased reinsurance costs and how that was impacting locally.

Dr Graham Green, Climate Change Science Adviser at the SA Department for Environment and Water, focused on the physical changes happening in South Australia.

He said the average temperature in SA is increasing at a rate higher than the Australian and global average, and is projected to increase even further.

Dr Green advised extreme heat has a significant impact on human health and productivity, particularly for industries where people are required to work outside.

He said the reduction in rainfall in South Australia will also be significant and this will influence crop choices in the agricultural sector, as well as the need to purchase additional water allocations and to invest in water recycling.

Dr Green also touched on rising sea levels and said businesses would need to reassess their flood risk profile and insurance to incorporate the risk from coastal flooding.

He pointed attendees to the significant amount of climate change data and information already available on the Bureau of Meteorology and other national and state government websites.

The Summit then heard case studies from Elizabeth Molyneaux and Michelle English (from AGL and Adelaide City Council respectively), about how their businesses are responding to climate change.

They emphasised that climate change is a cross-organisational issue and organisations must adequately resource those charged with managing the organisation’s response. She also stressed the importance of collaboration between businesses when planning and managing risks associated with climate change.

EPA CE Tony Circelli wrapped up the Summit saying the EPA wants to support and assist businesses to adapt and innovate in response to climate change and to realise the opportunities that exist.

Post-event materials will be available shortly for those who were unable able to attend the Summit.

The publication highlights businesses and companies which are implementing innovative solutions to achieve environmentally sustainable outcomes.

The stories are designed to inspire and encourage others to consider how they might innovate to lighten their footprint, to improve environmental, community and business outcomes.

This year’s publication features Teys Australia’s Naracoorte beef processing facility, Australian Naval Infrastructure’s state-of-the-art infrastructure at Osborne, SA Water’s Murray Bridge Wastewater Network and Korvest Galvanisers at Kilburn.

The Teys Australia story is published in this edition of the Monitor and the remaining stories will be published in subsequent issues of the Monitor.

Hard copies of Good for Environment, Good for Business can be requested by email. Please also email the same inbox if you believe you know a suitable EPA-licenced business worthy of being featured in the publication next year.

For more than two decades the team at Teys processing facility at Naracoorte, which employs more than 500 people, has focused on having a positive impact on the local community as well as supporting change across the industry.

                    The covered anaerobic lagoon at Teys Australia’s Naracoorte facility.

Teys has set clear targets to demonstrate this sustainability focus. By 2023, Teys will reduce water intensity by 10 per cent, reduce carbon intensity by 20 per cent, and source 30 per cent of its energy via renewables, with a view to achieving industry carbon neutrality by 2030.

Teys meat processing operations at Naracoorte generate more than 360 ML of wastewater each year and, in recent years, Teys has made a substantial effort to upgrade its wastewater treatment infrastructure. The appointment of a local dedicated environmental officer, along with investment in industry leading technologies, supports the company’s sustainability vision at Naracoorte.

Teys’ Group Environmental Manager Jacob Welch said this involved upgrading the facility’s primary and secondary wastewater treatment systems.

“The primary wastewater treatment system was upgraded with a dissolved air floatation system for fat, oils and grease removal, as well as the addition of two fan press units to improve paunch solids removal prior to discharge to the secondary wastewater treatment system. The fan presses also significantly dewater the paunch product, reducing the moisture content prior to composting.”

A Covered Anaerobic Lagoon (CAL) was also installed to improve wastewater treatment performance while capturing renewable energy rich biogas for electricity generation.

“The biogas is combusted in a cogeneration engine to produce renewable electricity, substantially reducing the facility’s reliance on grid electricity and reducing CO2 emissions by about 22,000 tonnes a year,” Mr Welch said.

“Teys has similar systems in place at its other processing facilities across Australia, but Naracoorte is our first plant to supply biogas into a cogeneration system for electricity generation, rather than a boiler for steam generation. The project will serve as a model for future implementation at our other facilities.”

Continuity of electricity supply is critical to the meat processing sector, and to ensure long-term energy security, Teys was able to access funding to support the project through the State Government Energy Productivity Program.

The multi-million dollar improvements were recognised with a win in the Energy Sector: Innovation and Productivity Improvement Award at the SA Premier’s Energy and Mining Awards in 2019.

“Recognition for our sustainability efforts is a great reward and it gives our customers and consumers confidence that Teys is taking real action to address the sustainability challenges of the future,” Mr Welch said.

“We also have a more resilient business, which gives the local community and our employees confidence that Teys is in Naracoorte for the long-term.”

EPA Environmental ​Scientist Shiloh Gerrity has been providing odour sensitivity testing and training to EPA ‘authorised officers’ for more than a decade to see which staff may be suitable for investigating odour complaints in the community and determining odour sources.

EPA Environmental Scientist Shiloh Gerrity testing colleague Andre Ortis’ sensitivity to odour to see if he has a suitable odour sensitivity range to investigate odours in the community.

“The odour sensitivity test is designed to identify staff with the right range of sensitivity,” Shiloh said.

“One person may be 300 times more sensitive to odour than another, and I’m intent on identifying staff who fall within the right sensitivity range.

“People who are too sensitive can get nasal fatigue which is when their brain interrupts their sense of smell so they don’t become overwhelmed.

“You may have experienced this when you’ve been somewhere with a really offensive odour, and then find after a while that you can no longer smell it.

“People who are not sensitive enough can find it difficult to tell the difference between similar smells, so their sense of smell can be unreliable. 

“The olfactometer we use, (a piece of equipment which measures odour dilution) has an odour sensitivity test to identify people who fall within the right sensitivity range.

“These staff can then be used to check out odour complaints in the community and we can have a degree of confidence that field observations will be consistent between different staff.

“To determine if staff are suitable, they are blindfolded and invited to sniff up to 14 different textas, or felt pens, which contain differing concentrations of n-butanol - a colourless liquid with a banana-like smell.

“In this way we are able to determine a baseline odour reading and work out a score for each individual. Anyone who scores between 4 and 12 falls within the right range.

​​“How the human nose detects odour is a bit of a mystery. As there is no reliable way of replacing a human nose with a chemical or electronic test, we find the most consistent method of testing the intensity of odours in the community is to use suitable staff who are trained to use our ‘Nasal Ranger’ olfactometers.”

EPA principal air quality scientist Dr Pushan Shah said so far 15 Marino residents have been accepted to join the dust study working group and several have offered to host a dust monitor on their property.

                 Marino residents have reported concerns about dust to the EPA for some time.

The community working group’s first meeting will be held at Marino on May 24 and this group will work with the EPA to investigate the best locations for the three community dust monitors.

Once the locations are determined, the monitors will be installed and a fourth monitor will also be positioned to act as an EPA control location.

The dust monitors will be in place for 12 months and real-time air quality data will be collected and published on the EPA Engage website.

The monitors are designed to capture smaller dust particles, which have the potential to enter lungs and impact health.

The EPA will collaborate with SA Health to determine if dust poses a potential human health risk, based on the findings during the 12 months.

The study will also determine if the dust experienced by the community exceeds relevant public health-based national standards and if the dust in Marino differs from that in other Adelaide suburbs.

The study findings will be presented to the community in July or August 2022.

In August 2014 Environment Protection Authority (EPA) officers identified a pollutant in Deep Creek and traced it to a wastewater treatment plant at Ashton Valley Fresh Pty Ltd.

The company was charged with discharging a pollutant in the form of wastewater from its site at Lobethal Road, Ashton into the waters of Deep Creek in contravention of the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy.

In August 2020 Ashton Valley Fresh was convicted on two counts of contravening an environmental protection policy contrary to the Environment Protection Act 1993 after a trial lasting eight days in the Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Court.

The company appealed the conviction to the Supreme Court arguing on appeal that it had taken all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent environmental harm and that an employee may have opened a tap attached to the plant, which treated wastewater from an apple juicing process.

Justice Lovell of the Supreme Court upheld the original convictions, stating Ashton Valley Fresh could have taken other reasonable and practicable steps to have prevented the discharge and that it was not established that an employee had operated the tap to discharge the wastewater.

Costs associated with the Appeal are yet to be determined.

The fire burnt for several hours, fuelled by bundles of plastic and cardboard and sent smoke billowing over the local area.

Firefighters were initially called to the EPA licensed recycling facility on Johansson Road about 3:30 am after a smoke alarm was activated and a triple-0 call was made.

The EPA attended the site shortly after 7 am and confirmed that fire had destroyed the facility. EPA staff also monitored the situation to ensure that fire water was contained on the site and didn’t enter the stormwater system.

The Wingfield facility had been used to store and sort waste from 11 Adelaide councils and the site had been processing about 250 tonnes of recycling a day.

In the short term VISY has arranged for kerbside recyclable material to be baled locally and transported to VISY facilities in NSW and Victoria for processing.

These alternative arrangements will stay in place until an alternative materials recovery facility becomes available in South Australia.

More than 100 firefighters battled a blaze at Visy’s Wingfield recycling facility which broke out in the early hours of the morning on 8 April.  

The RAP highlights the EPA’s commitment to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to maintain, protect and celebrate their culture, language, land and heritage in South Australia.

The EPA recognises the Original Custodians of South Australia’s lands, water, plants and animals, and that Country is central to the social, cultural, spiritual lives and identify of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The EPA Reconciliation Working Group with guest Ian Liddy (3^rd from left), EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli and guest Isaac Hannam, at the launch of the EPA Reconciliation Action Plan

The EPA is committed to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to implement the RAP, which outlines 14 actions that work towards achieving the EPA’s unique vision for reconciliation over the next two years.

The Innovate RAP is guided by three key pillars – Relationships, Respect, and Opportunities – and will assist in promoting a positive culture internally which celebrates reconciliation within the EPA, further drive positive organisational change, and strengthen the frequency and quality of the EPA’s engagement with Aboriginal communities.

The RAP builds on the EPA’s existing work with Aboriginal communities developed as part of the previous Reconciliation Action Plan and identifies future opportunities to engage and work with Aboriginal peoples to protect and restore our environment for future generations.

Photo: “Caring for Country” artwork by Scott Rathman which was commissioned to illustrate the EPA Reconciliation Action Plan. It depicts land, air and water with the centre representing the coming together of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to share knowledge about country which contributes to the building of new relationships and strengthens old ones.

The new webpage allows users to identify the location of air quality monitors on an interactive map as well as provide access to air quality information including data on concentrations of pollutants.

EPA CE Executive Tony Circelli said the new webpage will make it easier for people to access and interpret real-time air quality data, particularly during major events impacting air quality such as bushfires, dust events, or photochemical smog events.

EPA scientific officer Sam Rice checking data at the Netley Air Quality Monitoring Station

“The new interactive webpage is a big improvement on the table-based format we previously presented air quality data in online and follows an extensive review of how we could improve air quality reporting to meet the needs of the South Australian community.

“The initiative also follows an EPA commitment to make our operations more open and transparent and provide more timely information on environmental incidents to communities and the public.

“Since making that commitment the EPA has revamped its website, released radiation licence data on its Public Register and released online groundwater contamination records in map form.

“The new air quality webpage will be much easier for people to navigate as by simply hovering their mouse over an interactive map they will be able to read and interpret air quality readings at nine different monitoring stations in Adelaide and around the state.

“Providing faster and easier access to air quality data during events such as bushfires, industrial fires, dust and smog events is vitally important for people who are managing respiratory and other conditions. 

“The design of the new webpage also adopts nationally consistent air quality categories and associated public health messages.”

The EPA welcomes public feedback on the new air quality webpage. Email or contact the call centre on 8204 2004. 

This requirement brings the poultry industry into line with other intensive farming industries such as cattle feedlots and piggeries, which have similar potential environmental impacts.

EPA Director Regulation Peter Dolan said licensing of poultry farms enables the EPA to set conditions and regulate potential environmental impacts such as odour, waste, wastewater or contaminated stormwater run-off, and noise pollution.

“The EPA advised poultry farm operators in April 2020 that they would require a licence once poultry farms were added to the list of activities of environmental significance requiring EPA authorisation – and this occurred in December,” Mr Dolan said.

“Poultry farm (broiler) operators who grow poultry meat where the total area of the sheds or structures used to keep the poultry is 13,500 square metres or more will require an EPA licence.

“Poultry includes chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, duck, geese, pheasants, quail, squab (pigeons), muttonbirds or other avian species.

“Holding an EPA licence will give the poultry industry regulatory certainty and clarity about their obligations.

“Licensing fees have been set to reflect the amount of effort required by the EPA to regulate potential environmental impacts.”

Poultry farmers will be able to apply for a licence online from 1 April 2021. Licences will be issued for a period of five years, after which time the licence will be renewed.

In most circumstances, standard licence conditions will be set for poultry farm licensees who are ensuring that all reasonable practices are being taken to minimise risk to the environment. The EPA will focus its attention according to risk, which will promote a more level playing-field for environmental management for the sector.

Further information is available on the EPA website or contact 8204 2004.

Groundwater in these areas is contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, PFAS, heavy metals and cyanide from past industrial activities.

The GPA will come into effect on April 8 and will prohibit people from drawing and using bore water from shallow aquifers less than 25 metres deep.

Deeper uncontaminated aquifers, such as those used by councils, are exempt from this prohibition.

The EPA has written to impacted residents and landowners to advise them that the GPA will be established, and this follows a 90-day community consultation period.

EPA Director Regulation, Peter Dolan said using contaminated bore water for drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools, watering lawns or irrigating edible produce over a long period of time would be a health risk for people in the affected area.

“Tonsley and surrounding suburbs have had significant commercial, industrial and manufacturing activities in the past, and unfortunately chemicals were disposed of by tipping them onto the ground.

“At the time it was thought the chemicals would evaporate, but we now know they migrate through the ground and contaminate groundwater.”

From 8 April 2021, extracting groundwater (bore water) from the Pooraka Formation aquifer (5–6 m below ground level) and Upper Hindmarsh Clay Quaternary aquifer (8–23 m below ground level) will be prohibited. A maximum fine of $8,000 may be issued if bore water is extracted from these aquifers.

Further information, including a map of the impacted area is available at: www.engage.epa.sa.gov.au/Tonsley

The work along the metropolitan coast is carried out twice every season over a 12 month period, (once at high tide and once at low tide each season), with seston traps deployed at Largs Bay, Grange, Brighton and Moana, in both vegetated and non-vegetated habitat.

The data from this study will better inform the limitations to seagrass recovery along the metropolitan Adelaide coastline and potentially demonstrate the role seagrass meadows play in reducing resuspension of sediments.

EPA Water Quality Scientist Matt Nelson said seagrasses are an important indicator of coastal health but have been greatly degraded along the Adelaide coastline by nutrient and sediment discharges from wastewater treatment plants and industry, as well as stormwater.

“Seagrass meadows play a number of important roles; they are nursery grounds for both commercially and recreationally important fish and crustacean species, sediment stabilisers and carbon sinks.

EPA scientific officer Natan Noel retrieving seston traps from Adelaide’s metro coastline.

“Over the last 20 years there has been a substantial reduction in nutrients discharged to nearshore environments from wastewater and industry, and now we believe the biggest factor potentially impacting nearshore habitats is fine sediment discharged from land-based sources, primarily through urban stormwater, that are constantly being re-suspended with wind and wave action.

“The joint research being undertaken by EPA and SA Water scientists will help us identify the land-use sources contributing most to sediment exports, and how these may be better managed.

“Ultimately we want to improve the water quality conditions that are required to best protect and provide for the restoration of seagrasses.”

The State Government has installed additional pumps to accelerate the movement of hyper-saline water away from the mangroves adjacent to the Dry Creek salt fields. This will complement activity being undertaken by Buckland Dry Creek (BDC), following directions previously issued by the Department for Energy and Mining.

Water regression in one of the salt ponds at the Dry Creek Saltfields. Photo courtesy of DEM.

The additional pumping activity has been made possible through a Clean Up Authorisation (CUA) under the Environment Protection Act 1993.

The CUA follows successful government trials of new pumping equipment at the site and enables Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Authorised Officers to undertake water pumping on the salt field site and to recover costs from BDC.

The additional pumps will accelerate the movement of water away from the western side of the highest risk ponds closest to the mangrove environment, moving water southwards to relieve pressure on the more severely impacted areas of vegetation.

Government remains focused on stopping further impact on the mangroves, promoting conditions for recovery of the affected areas, and establishing long-term environmental stability for the mangrove and wider ecosystem.

The inquiry will consider how to make the development of regulations and regulator behaviour more efficient, effective and future oriented.

The inquiry is part of SAPC Modern Regulation Project that also includes a program of regulatory reviews into specific areas of regulation affecting key economic processes or sectors.

The Commission received the terms of reference from the government on Friday, 29 January 2021.

For further information, regarding the SAPC or if you wish to join the mailing list to be kept informed of the progress of the inquiry, please visit the SAPC website.

The Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) has issued 3 environmental directions to Buckland Dry Creek (BDC), the company which occupies the site.
Buckland Dry Creek has been directed to stop further pumping of new water to the affected area, to address a seepage issue at the Little Para River, and to remove the water from 7 km of pond south of St Kilda.

DEM reports that millions of litres of brine is being pumped out of the hyper-saline salt ponds and that the ponds at St Kilda are expected to be drained within weeks.

        Removing hyper-saline water from the salt fields

DEM continues to work with BDC to see how the company can remove water at a faster rate.

The 30-km, 4,000-hectare site is complex and areas are interrelated. Managing all sections, including the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary, will be an important aspect of future remediation.

Community groups are providing useful input and DEM continues to provide public updates on the issue on their website.

The EPA continues to provide DEM with scientific support and expert advice.
DEM regulates the site under the Mining Act 1971 through the mining lease it holds with BDC.

BDC also has a licence under the Environment Protection Act 1993 for chemical storage and warehousing facilities, chemical works (salt production) and discharges to marine or inland waters, which is overseen by the EPA.

The Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Act 2020 passed Parliament on 9 September 2020.

South Australia was also the first state to introduce deposits on beverage containers, and the first to ban lightweight plastic bags.

By avoiding waste and shifting to reusable or other more sustainable options, the ban on single-use plastics continues to demonstrate SA’s leadership in this space.

From Monday 1 March 2021 single-use plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers will be prohibited from sale, supply or distribution in South Australia. These single-use items can be replaced with reusable and compostable alternatives that do not contain plastic.

The ban applies to single-use plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers made from, or comprising, fossil fuel derived plastic or compostable plastic, which is designed to be used once, or a limited number of times, before being thrown away.
Exemptions will apply for single-use straws for people with a disability or medical need.

Oxo-degradable plastic products will also be banned from manufacture and production in South Australia. Oxo-degradable plastic products have additives which enable the plastic to break down into tiny fragments (or microplastics) rather than completely breaking down.

Green Industries SA and the EPA are working on activities to support implementation of the single-use plastics ban. This includes developing and consulting on regulations to implement exemptions, preparing guidance on the assessment of single-use prohibited plastic products and the ‘Replace the Waste’ education campaign.

The EPA is responsible for enforcing the single-use plastics ban and will respond to non-compliance by taking an educational approach initially, followed up, if necessary, with verbal and written warnings, expiations and prosecution.

From March 1, 2022 expanded polystyrene cups, bowls, plates and clamshell containers will also be banned.

Visit the Replace the Waste website and sign up for updates on South Australia’s single use plastic ban.

The new Act implements national commitments made at the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference and the Council of Australian Governments to introduce a uniform national framework for radiation protection.

The Act will replace the 1982 act, and will continue to regulate activities involving radiation sources to ensure that people and the environment are protected from the harmful effects of radiation.

The Act introduces a general duty of care, a risk-based harms approach and establishes the offence of causing radiation harm. It introduces tools such as orders and expiations to enable more effective regulation.

It also reduces the administrative burden on small business through streamlining 7 separate licence categories down to 2 – a radiation use licence and a radiation management licence.

New Regulations will now be drafted to include a more risk-based approach to improve the EPA’s regulatory framework for the safe use of radiation.

The Radiation Protection Committee will provide advice on the Regulations. Once the Regulations are well progressed a decision on when the new Act will commence will be made.

The EPA regulates hospitals, dentists, veterinarians, soil analysis companies, mining companies, radiographers, radiologists, and ports under the legislation.

The EPA suspended Port Adelaide Salvage Pty’s transport licence for 3 years following a series of non-compliances with its licence conditions and breaches of the Environment Protection Act 1993.

EPA spokesperson Stephen Barry said the company’s authority to transport waste was suspended in October 2019 after it and its director Maurizio Corsaro operated an illegal waste depot at Highbury in 2012, and after its director operated an illegal waste depot at Houghton in 2015.

Mr Barry said the company was transporting asbestos that was not “appropriately wrapped or sealed”, putting the public’s health at risk.

“It was necessary to suspend Port Adelaide Salvage’s transport licence given the circumstances of previous and ongoing offending to protect the public and the environment,” he explained.

The suspension means Port Adelaide Salvage is not permitted to transport listed waste including asbestos during the suspension period which remains in place until 30 September 2022.

The EPA is currently investigating Port Adelaide Salvage over the alleged unlawful disposal of waste at two locations in Sedan, 100 km east of Adelaide.

The EPA’s Emergency Response Team attended the site on several occasions along with staff from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) who placed a boom and absorbent pads around the vessel to contain pollutants.

The EPA liaised with the marina management company and the vessel owner during the incident and reminded them of their environmental obligations.

Vessel owners have a responsibility under the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015 not to discharge pollutants, and where this has occurred must take all reasonable and proactive measures to resolve the matter promptly in an environmentally responsible manner.

The marina management company was required to provide evidence (including photographs) to the EPA of the salvage in progress and upon completion, confirming that containment measures had been effective.

The EPA was satisfied that contaminants were contained throughout the salvage operation and while odours were present, they are not severe.

In the midst of this, I’m proud of the way EPA staff quickly adapted to new ways of working and doing business, and continued to seamlessly provide critical services to employers, to industry and to the community.

In times of uncertainty, the community has valued having a strong and effective independent environmental regulator. With the support, adaptability and cooperation of our stakeholders, we continued to provide critical business functions this year, providing a high level of service to the community, while also supporting and growing South Australia businesses. 

In the midst of the pandemic, the EPA also marked its 25th anniversary. It was on 1 May 1995 that the EPA was created following the commencement of the Environment Protection Act 1993 in South Australia. While this significant milestone was not celebrated in quite the way we had planned, it still provided an important opportunity to reflect on past achievements and challenges and plan for the future.

While many of us will be pleased to close the door on 2020, just knowing that we successfully rose to all of the year’s challenges, means there is nothing we can’t tackle, if we continue to work together collaboratively.

I look forward to working with, and for you again, in 2021 and to starting the new year with a strong sense of hope and optimism.

Wishing you all a happy holiday period and a safe and prosperous New Year. 

Tony Circelli

Your Licence Explained includes information about licensing, the EPA’s regulatory approach, authorised officer interaction, and what to do if a pollution incident occurs.

It also includes a section on community engagement, and the obligations that every licence holder has to engage with neighbours and keep local communities informed about activities at your site.  With more people now working from home, and being at home more often, it is more important than ever to build and foster good relationships with your local community. 

Your Licence Explained can be downloaded from the Business and Industry/Licences page on EPA website, or hard copies can be requested by contacting the EPA – email or (08) 8204 2004.

The project is being managed by OzFish Unlimited, with funding from Green Adelaide, Navico and BCF. 

The Marine Science team will contribute in-kind support, providing advice on seagrass, planning and on-ground assistance, as well as advising on long-term seagrass monitoring.

OzFish Unlimited project manager Dr Michael Sierp said recreational fishers and members of the community are being asked to collect seagrass (Posidonia) seeds which typically wash up on beaches around Christmas.

“We’ve lost around 6,000 hectares of seagrass along the Adelaide coast, due to pollution and other factors, mainly since mid-century,” Dr Sierp said.

“These meadows provide important habitat for snapper, calamari, whiting and blue swimmer crabs.

“OzFish, together with scientists and community volunteers, is taking action to bring Adelaide’s seagrass meadow back to life to help secure the future of our fisheries.

“During December it will be all hands on deck to collect, process, and disperse as many seagrass seeds as we cab to help restore and regenerate our lost seagrass meadows.”

Volunteers are needed to collect the unopened seagrass fruit from beaches or by using dab nets from vessels, to help sort, process and distribute the seeds. 

Anyone who wants to be involved must register on the OzFish website where they can access background information.

Updates will be posted on the Seeds for Snapper SA Volunteers Facebook page.

The project will be launched at the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia at North Haven, for registered volunteers only, on Sunday 20 December where the seagrass fruits processing and distribution will be conducted by volunteers. 

Unopened seagrass fruits may be collected and delivered from 21 to 23 December, from 26 to 30 December, with an extension from 2 to 5 January if required.

The seeds will be sewn into hessian bags, or distributed by hand from boats at a site north of Outer Harbour and at another metropolitan site, in December and early January 2021. 

The baskets had proved difficult to recycle due to mixed construction materials and large amounts of marine bio-fouling. Instead of sending the baskets to landfill, many oyster growers have been stockpiling them on their properties until more environmentally sustainable disposal by recycling becomes available.

In 2013, a feasibility study was undertaken to investigate recycling opportunities for waste oyster baskets with the aim to identify cost-effect oyster basket recycling options. This project was a joint initiative between the EPA and SAOGA  in conjunction with Regional Development Australia Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula (RDAWEP).

A recommendation from the study was for industry to collaborate and tender out its disposal requirements in order to obtain the best price for recycling

Since the release of the feasibility study report in February 2014, oyster growers have continued to stockpile baskets with the aim of having them processed for recycling.

An arrangement has since been made with waste transporters Geoff Pilgrim Transport to collect and process baskets for shredding using a mobile shredder with the granulated materials being sent to his facility for processing in Moama.

Smoky Bay oyster growers recently organised a working bee with around 20 growers converging to help clean up baskets that had been stockpiled for the past ten years. Close to 40 tonnes of baskets in Smoky Bay have now been removed and recycled.

A similar clean-up was undertaken at oyster grower sheds at Little Douglas removing another 40 tonnes of plastic oyster baskets for recycling with another clean-up being organised at Denial Bay in the near future.

Groundwater in these areas is contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, PFAS, heavy metals and cyanide from past industrial activities. 

Many residents and workers in the area have already been advised to stop using groundwater from bores for any purpose.

EPA Director Regulation, Peter Dolan said the proposed prohibition area will apply to bores up to 25 metres below ground level. Deeper aquifers used by schools and councils will not be affected. Mains and rain water are also not affected by the contamination. 

“Using contaminated bore water for drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools, watering lawns or irrigating edible produce over a long period of time, is considered a health risk in these areas,” Mr Dolan said.

“Tonsley and surrounding suburbs were sites of significant commercial, industrial and manufacturing activities, particularly vehicle and vehicle parts manufacturing.

“Chemical disposal and handling practices in those industries, that were considered appropriate at the time, are no longer acceptable today.

“Chemicals that leaked or spilled, or were tipped onto the ground, have since migrated down through the soil and have contaminated groundwater for the foreseeable future.”

Before establishing the groundwater prohibition area, the EPA is holding a 90-day community consultation period which will run until February.

Two community drop-in sessions have been held and copies of reports, maps and further information is available online.

Anyone with concerns or queries may contact the EPA community engagement team on (08) 8204 2004, or email.

The EPA has sampled lake water, stormwater, fish and crustaceans, and groundwater in the West Lakes area after elevated concentrations of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in soil, groundwater and sewage sludge samples near the former Port Adelaide wastewater treatment plant. 

The lake water and fish testing results were available in September, and now testing undertaken as part of the groundwater study has confirmed that shallow groundwater (bore water) is contaminated with dissolved metals and PFAS.

EPA Director Regulation Peter Dolan said groundwater salinity and groundwater quality is highly variable across the study area and on that basis further investigations are needed.

“Based on the latest test results, we think it likely that elevated concentrations of PFAS are present in areas where sewage sludge was spread during the West Lakes development.

“These areas were previously identified as having elevated metal concentrations (particularly cadmium) in soils and management measures were implemented on affected private properties in the early 2000s.

“We’re now planning to contact residents and landholders in the area about an extension of our groundwater assessment program early next year,” Mr Dolan said. 

“Because groundwater in portions of West Lakes is contaminated with PFAS and dissolved metals above drinking water guidelines, residents are advised not to use their bore water for any purpose. Rainwater and mains water are not affected.

“To establish the extent of the contamination, we are planning to extend the monitoring well network to new areas of West Lakes and to parts of Royal Park. The proposed monitoring area covers 815 land titles, including 697 residential properties. 

For more information or a copy of the groundwater monitoring test results visit Engage EPA, email or call 08 8463 4799.

In mid-September, after learning of the dieback, the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM), along with officers from the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), visited the site to start investigating the possible cause of plant deaths and identify options to prevent further environmental damage.

This includes investigating potential links between the dieback and the adjacent Dry Creek salt fields which are operated by Buckland Dry Creek (BDC). DEM regulates this site under the Mining Act through the mining lease held by BDC. BDC also has a licence under the Environment Protection Act 1993 for chemical storage and warehousing facilities, chemical works (salt production) and discharges to marine or inland waters, which is overseen by the EPA.

DEM is leading a government team to assess environmental impacts, and to determine what actions need to be taken by the salt fields operator and by government to minimise further vegetation loss.

The EPA is providing DEM with scientific advice and assistance, in particular assessing groundwater and surface water chemistry within the saltmarsh and adjacent salt ponds.

EPA Director Science and Information Keith Baldry said that the EPA had sampled salinity levels in water at several locations within the impacted area.

“While it’s not known for certain what is causing the dieback, salinity levels many times higher than seawater salinity in the saltmarsh and associated mangrove areas is an obvious focus of attention, but it is also likely that waterlogging has contributed to saltmarsh deaths in the affected area,” Mr Baldry said.

“We have sampled water in the salt ponds and an existing piezometer (shallow wells) network. We have also installed additional piezometers in the samphire environment to develop an understanding of the movement of groundwater from the ponds to the surface and subsurface soils in the saltmarsh.

“The death of mangroves and saltmarsh plants is of significant concern, we will work with DEM and DEW to provide scientific advice that will help identify how to prevent further damage to the natural environment and implement works aimed at rehabilitating the affected area.”

The EPA Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) is structured around the themes and priority areas of the Inclusive SA: State Disability Inclusion Plan 2019–2023.

1. Inclusive communities for all
2. Leadership and collaboration
3. Accessible communities
4. Learning and employment.

The EPA DAIP provides a commitment and a pathway for people living with a disability to access the EPA and its services, ensuring equality and respect.

This includes ensuring inclusive access to EPA buildings, community meeting venues, information and communication systems, and products and services. It is also about ensuring the voices of people living with disability are heard.

It reinforces the EPA’s continuing commitment to promote wellbeing and equality through the provision of disability access services and to ensure that people living with a disability can have the appropriate support and resources to undertake work, living and leisure activities. 

We will include information about the progress we make in our annual reports.

The 3-day visit by EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli, Director Regulation Peter Dolan and Director Strategy and Assessment Kathryn Bellette included stopovers and familiarisation visits to CU-River Mining’s proposed port facility in Port Augusta, GFG Alliance’s Whyalla Steelworks, Sundrop Farms and Nyrstar’s Port Pirie smelter.

            EPA executive team members at GFG Alliance’s Whyalla Steelworks

On Monday 9 November EPA executive team members visited the site of the former Port Augusta Power Station, now owned by iron ore magnetite producer CU-River Mining, which is establishing a port facility on the site.

The executive team members were particularly interested to see the steps taken by CU-River Mining to rehabilitate the site it purchased from Flinders Power in 2019, particularly rehabilitation of the old ash dam.

The EPA group also met with GFG Alliance staff in Whyalla and toured the steelworks on Tuesday 10 November to learn more about the company’s plans to improve the plant.

GFG recently reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading the ageing steelworks to transform the plant into a world leading 'greensteel' facility. The $1-billion expansion plan includes the installation of an electric arc furnace, a direct reduced iron facility and a new state-of-the-art rolling mill, by 2024.

The new plant will be fed by natural gas, in time transitioning to green hydrogen produced from GFG’s own renewable energy projects including Cultana – one of Australia’s largest solar farms, being built in Whyalla.

There was also the opportunity to meet with members of the long-standing Whyalla Environmental Consultative Group, known locally as the ECG, who advocate on behalf of the community on various environmental protection issues in Whyalla. Their feedback on areas needing attention remains a valued source of information for the EPA.

The EPA Executive Team members also visited SunDrop Farms near Port Augusta which uses energy smart technology to grow fresh vegetables hydroponically. The team was keen to know more about the company’s plans to build a new $4.5-million desalination plant on the site.

                EPA executive team members at SunDrop Farms in Port Augusta

The visit ended on Wednesday 11 November with a bus tour of Nyrstar’s Port Pirie smelter to hear and see firsthand the efforts underway to improve environmental performance at the site. This was followed by a catch-up with Port Pirie Regional Council Mayor Leon Stephens and CE Peter Ackland, on their current areas of focus, before returning to Adelaide.

The release of the spatial maps follows an EPA commitment to progressively expand its online public register to provide transparent, accessible and timely information to the public.

Since making that commitment the EPA has revamped its website and released new datasets on its public register regarding radiation licences and variations to licence conditions. Making the spatial maps freely available is another policy improvement initiative designed to improve public accessibility of information.

The information the spatial maps represent is already available on the site contamination index, however the release of the maps recognises that some people may find the visual information more helpful.

The mapping shows records held by the EPA which date back to 1 July 2009.

It can be used to view Groundwater Prohibition Area (GPA) boundaries where the EPA has prohibited or restricted the taking of groundwater if site contamination affects or threatens groundwater and presents an actual or potential risk to human health.

The maps also show notifications received under section 83A of the Environment Protection Act 1993, of site contamination that affects or threatens underground water which have been placed in the public register.

It is important to note that some of the information recorded is historic and some sites shown on the maps may have been remediated. In addition some sites may have now been assessed and found not to pose a risk.

Groundwater contamination records

On Thursday 29 October EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli and Director Regulation Peter Dolan attended a community meeting in McLaren Vale to listen to local residents’ concerns and answer questions about SWR’s application.

In response to increased community interest, the EPA has written to more than 4,000 residents in parts of Seaford Rise, Moana, Maslin Beach, Tatachilla and McLaren Vale to update them on SWR’s licence application and encouraging locals to sign up to the EPA’s community information service.

There are strict criteria around the disposal of PFAS-contaminated waste, and landfill operators must demonstrate they have appropriate mechanisms and engineering in place for testing, handling and disposal.

While lesser standards are approved nationally, in South Australia PFAS-contaminated waste is only permitted to be disposed of in specially engineered landfills with a single or double composite lining system.

The EPA is assessing SWR’s proposal against the landfill acceptance criteria outlined in the PFAS National Environment Protection Plan and in accordance with the EPA Landfill disposal criteria for PFAS-contaminated waste.

The EPA will make a decision on the application next year, after further geotechnical information has been submitted and is scientifically assessed.

Anyone who would like to be kept informed about the progress of the application should call tel: 8124 4216 or email.

The EPA issued the order after becoming aware of a potential leak in a stormwater lagoon at the plant just southwest of Penola.

It is not yet known whether groundwater on the site has been affected however the EPA is taking a cautious approach and has issued the EPO to provide greater regulatory control over the company’s remedial actions.

There is no evidence that pollutants have left the Katnook site. The levels of pollutants are low, and there is no public health risk.

However, integrity of lagoons is part of Adelaide Energy’s environmental licence, and its important that groundwater in the region is protected.

Adelaide Energy has taken action to repair the potential leak, with repairs due to be completed this month. The EPA has required the company to undertake 6 months of enhanced monitoring to check for any impacts to groundwater.

An EPO is a routine tool used by the EPA to maintain regulatory oversight of operators.

The Katnook Gas Plant was initially constructed by Origin Energy Resources Limited and started production in 1991. Production at the gas plant stopped in 2011, but it was refurbished and recommissioned in early 2020 to supply gas to industry in the South East.

The prohibition restricts the taking of groundwater via bores in shallow aquifers less than 18 m deep. Deeper uncontaminated aquifers are exempt from the prohibition.

Groundwater in shallow aquifers in portions of Keswick, Forestville, Ashford, Everard Park, Wayville and Mile End South has been significantly contaminated from historical industrial chemical use when past chemical handling instructions advised to tip used chemicals onto the ground.

Historically the area has hosted manufacturing and industrial activities, including white goods and vehicle manufacturing, electroplating, concrete and asphalt production, and printing.

As a result harmful chemicals have seeped into groundwater aquifers in the area, including petroleum and chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), metals and nitrates.

The EPA undertook a 90-day consultation period in relation to the GPA, and advised residents and landholders of the prohibition area which came into effect on 29 October 2020.

The prohibition area will protect current and future residents as groundwater from shallow aquifers in the area is not safe for drinking, washing, watering edible produce and lawns, or for use in swimming pools.

Anyone in the area found pumping water from bores in shallow aquifers less than 18 metres deep could face prosecution, and fines of up to $8,000 apply.

Residents in this area should only use rainwater or mains water for irrigation.

The prohibition does not apply to bores accessing water in deeper aquifers in the area.

For more information visit Engage EPA.

The Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 (Act) requires that a register be kept of accreditations and authorities granted under the Act, and this requirement is delegated to the EPA.

The EPA maintains a printed version of the register of radiation licensees which it has made available on request.

However furthering the EPA reforms and steps to increase public notifications of incidents, details relating to radiation licences have now been added to the online register.

The directory holds radiation authorisations for:

• a licence to operate ionising radiation
• a licence to use or handle radioactive substances
• accreditations of third party certification holders.

The information includes the licensee name, licence number and specific conditions of the licence where appropriate.

All licensees were informed of the change prior to the information being published.

The guideline was developed following 2 years of consultation with dredge licensees and other stakeholders including councils and State Government agencies.

It will help those seeking EPA dredging approval to better understand the environmental risks of dredging and the EPA’s expectations on how risks will be managed.

Dredging is a prescribed activity under the Environment Protection Act 1993 and can only be undertaken with an environmental authorisation in the form of a licence.

The EPA also has regulatory responsibilities under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 for development assessment of dredging proposals referred by the relevant planning authority.

The guideline covers advice and information including:

• The approval process and timeframes for dredge applications.
• Identification and risk analysis of environmental impacts associated with dredging and EPA expectations of risk-based management of these impacts.
• Information required by the EPA to assess dredging proposals according to the nature of the activity.
• Advice on the preparation of dredge management plans and monitoring programs.
• Introduction of a simplified process for routine maintenance dredging activity.
• Requirements for community engagement when neighbouring work is involved.

The EPA will assess all development and licence applications, dredge management plans and environmental monitoring programs, in accordance with the new guideline to determine whether all reasonable and practicable measures have been taken to minimise environmental harm.

The EPA will also work with applicants and licensees to help them apply the guideline.

The assessment work comes after the EPA was notified that tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE) and other chemicals have been found in groundwater and soil vapour at the site of a former dying and dry cleaning business which was situated at 10–12 Marion Street.

Environmental consultants will drill and test groundwater and soil vapour bores on roads and in public areas in the assessment area which is bounded by Causeway Road, Mary, Deslandes and Hart streets.

A total of 34 households in the assessment area have been notified and the EPA will advise anyone who may be impacted as soon as test results become available.

If bore water is found to be contaminated, the EPA is likely to introduce a Groundwater Prohibition Area (GPA) in Ethelton to stop people accessing the contaminated water.

In the meantime, bore water from backyard pumps should not be used in the Ethelton area, but it is safe to eat produce grown in the area, as long as it has been watered with mains water or rainwater.

If the results from soil vapour testing indicate that there is potential for contaminated vapour to enter people’s homes, the EPA will seek permission from owners to test air vapour inside their homes.

Many areas in Adelaide are now known to be impacted from the legacy of poor historical chemical handling practices, due to past chemical leaks and spills, and the common practice of disposing of chemicals by tipping them onto the ground. We now know this may result in contaminated groundwater and contaminated soil vapour.

Ethelton residents who have concerns or require further information about the assessment work may phone 8463 4799 or email.

Stockpiling can result in environmental harm, through stockpile fires and exposing the community to smoke and dust, as well as creating a financial liability for others if a site is abandoned.

Materials that can be stockpiled include soils, fill and overburden, construction and demolition waste, as well as timber, green waste, residual waste and industry byproducts.

The stockpiling guideline has further information about everyone’s obligations to circulate waste and other matter under the Environment Protection Act 1993, and the EPA’s powers to promote the circulation of material.

These powers include imposing maximum allowable stockpile limits as a condition of an EPA authorisation.

Stockpile management plans may also be required to assist the EPA in setting reasonable and practical stockpile limits where businesses have a genuine need to stockpile larger amounts of waste or other materials for a period of time.

The new guideline sets out the EPA’s minimum expectations for the management of potential risks, and it addresses issues related to on-site layout, stability and dimensions of stockpiles, material flow and timeframes for storing waste or other matter.

For more information on stockpiling controls, including financial assurances, refer to the information sheet: Financial assurances and stockpiling - who, when, what and how much

The dredging was undertaken by Flinders Ports in autumn last year to allow larger ships to access the port facilities. Flinders Ports was required to adhere to strict environmental conditions throughout the project and the EPA conducted further, independent monitoring of seagrass before, during and after the project.

The EPA’s monitoring included detailed assessment by EPA divers and reviewing underwater video footage. The results of this first post-dredging monitoring audit found there had been no adverse impact on seagrass at the monitored sites.

EPA Director of Science Keith Baldry said that the results were promising.

“Some seagrass loss in the area being directly dredged was inevitable, but in the wider zone of influence it is very pleasing that we have not identified any adverse impacts in our first post-dredging survey,” Mr Baldry said.

During the dredging program, Flinders Ports was required to comply with EPA licence conditions that specified steps that needed to be taken to reduce turbidity – a potential cause of seagrass loss – including stopping work when turbidity reached particular trigger levels.

Flinders Ports was also required to monitor seagrass condition before and after the dredging and to implement a dredging methodology to reduce the impact on marine life and seagrass.

“By using modern dredging practices and up-to-date science, the early indications are that environmental impacts have been minimised,” Mr Baldry said.

The EPA will undertake a further monitoring survey in 2021 to check that this continues and that there are no delayed impacts as a result of the dredging.

Within the waste and resource recovery industry, excessive stockpiles have been of concern to the EPA, community and industry. Stockpiling has the potential for levy avoidance and market distortion, through the indefinite holding of material without either recovering or selling the materials, or disposing of the material to landfill. Stockpiling can result in environmental harm, through stockpile fires and exposing the community to smoke and dust, as well as creating a financial liability for others if a site is abandoned.

Materials that can be stockpiled include soils, fill and overburden, construction and demolition waste, as well as timber, green waste, residual waste and industry by-products.

Under the Environment Protection Act 1993, the EPA has the power to impose stockpile limits and requires a financial assurance as a condition of authorisation. A financial assurance is a type of financial security that can be required by the EPA to prevent the cost of rehabilitation and clean-up being inappropriately transferred to third parties, including the state government and the community.

The new guideline has been developed in consultation with the waste and resource recovery sector, and covers key concepts that assist the EPA in making decisions to impose stockpile limits as a condition of authorisation as well as financial assurances, if required for high risk stockpiles of materials.

More information about Financial assurances and stockpiling.

The messages are designed to let people know when water quality is not suitable for activities like swimming and surfing.

While beach water quality is usually very good off the Adelaide coast, it can drop when heavy rain flushes high volumes of stormwater into the sea.

These increased flows can result in discoloured or murky water at beaches that are near the mouths of rivers and drains.

SA Health recommends that people avoid contact with this turbid water for 72 hours after the stormwater has stopped flowing.

In the past, beach water quality alerts were issued for the whole metropolitan coast, but at the beginning of 2017, the EPA introduced an option allowing people to sign up for alerts for specific beaches in response to community feedback.

Individual alerts are now issued for Grange, Henley, Hallett Cove, Christies Beach, Noarlunga and Moana.

Sign up for beach alerts and for up-to-date information on beach water quality.

The EPA conducted the testing in September following the discovery of elevated concentrations of PFAS in soil, groundwater and sewage sludge near the former Port Adelaide wastewater treatment plant at West Lakes.

The area was also previously identified as having elevated metal concentrations, particularly cadmium.

While some PFAS compounds were found in the fish samples, they were not at concentrations that would trigger investigation under the Foods Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

The EPA also tested for heavy metals in the samples, because cadmium has been a concern in West Lake soils. Those results revealed that cadmium is not a problem, but lead was present at levels above the FSAMZ trigger point for investigation in the whole fish and mussels tested.  

As a result, SA Health has advised that fish fillets from West Lakes are safe to eat, but whole or macerated fish and mussels are not recommended for human consumption

In summary: 

• PFAS in fish and mussels from West Lakes were at levels considered safe for human consumption.
• Fish fillets from West Lakes are considered safe for consumption.
• The concentration of lead in whole fish and mussels was at levels considered unsafe for consumption.

The taking of mollusc, which includes mussels and all bivalve shellfish, has been banned for several decades in the waters of West Lakes under the Fisheries Management Act 2007.

Test results on water samples taken from West Lakes have confirmed that the lake is safe for recreational use

Reports on the test results

As part of their new licensing conditions from 1 July 2020, Nyrstar was required to advise the EPA and the general public of target and reporting limit exceedances, as well as making plans and reports readily available.

By 3 July, Nyrstar had developed a community reporting and notification page within their website which links to a portal providing map-based pages for the monitoring of air quality sites.

The monitoring portal provides real time and daily average air quality data (dust levels, sulphur dioxide and lead-in-air levels) from various monitoring sites located within Port Pirie community.

Dams on 11 properties were tested for traces of the chemicals used in CCA-treated fencing and vineyard posts following the fire.

Waters were tested for the presence of chromium, copper and arsenic.

Green Industries SA were able to locate many CCA-treated pine stockpiles and mitigate surface water pollution.

Residents in catchment areas who thought their dams may have been contaminated through unidentified CCA-treated pine sources were able to have their water quality tested, at no cost, with the Department for Environment and Water funding analysis and the EPA providing technical advice to landowners.

All tests returned concentrations of copper, chromium and arsenic well below national guidelines for livestock water supply.

An Environment Improvement Plan requirement was placed on the SA Water Murray Bridge EPA licence in 2014 when the 1970s plant neared capacity, and risks to the River Murray identified from its existing output and odour impacts to neighbours.

The preferred solution was to relocate the WWTP to Brinkley, and construction of the new facility started in 2018.

When searching for the new location, considerations were made for odour management, water reuse opportunities, environment and heritage conservation, proximity to urban areas and cost.

The new site was chosen 10km south of Murray Bridge, on Pfieffer Road, opposite to the Brinkley Waste and Recycling Facility.

The 207 hectare site includes additional land for a buffer zone around the plant.

The new plant will process 4.6 million litres of wastewater per day, and is expected to serve the expanding community for many years to come.

The Brinkley plant will also utilise the latest in processing technology, with odour management systems throughout the site, and bio trickling and activated carbon tanks boasting a 99.95% removal efficiency.

As the new plant is brought online, the original site will be decommissioned.

Some of the newer equipment on the original site will be utilised for an upgrade of the network, with the remaining areas of the site to become part of the Murray Bridge community’s plans for the development of the riverbank.

Users accessing treated wastewater from SA Water for re-use will continue to receive this recycled water, with further opportunities expected as the new plant increases the network capacity.

The change comes following an incident involving septic tank sludge, also known as septage, being spread on farmland in a way that did not meet general environmental obligations.

Environment Protection Authority Director Regulation Peter Dolan said some landholders accepted septage as a soil improver, but if not applied in line with EPA guidelines, it could have adverse environmental impacts.

“Septage can be applied to land if it’s not practical to take it to a sludge-handling facility, or there simply isn’t one nearby,” he said. 

“If it is applied to land, it must be for the benefit of the soil, not simply for disposal.

“The updated guideline reflects changes to the Environment Protection Act 1993, under which the disposal of human wastewater or sewage to land is  a prescribed activity to be managed in accordance with the guidelines provided by the EPA.

“The guideline covers both the people who transport septage and landholders who accept it, and it makes everyone’s obligations clear.

“The EPA’s preference is for septage to be taken to an appropriately licensed facility, such as a wastewater treatment plant with a biosolids depot, but in cases where it is spread on land, this updated guideline will help  operators minimise the risk of adverse impacts on the surrounding land, water and air.”

The guideline provides better direction, certainty and consistency for all parties, with updated sections on obligations, land selection criteria, management of the application technique, and application rate.

It also helps industry meet its general environmental duty under the Environment Protection Act 1993 and promotes best practice management of septage transport and application.

In coming months the EPA will also be updating licence conditions for waste transporters who deal with septage.

For more information, read the EPA’s Septage management guideline (previously the Septic tank sludge management guideline)

The pilots undertook a Civil Aviation Safety Authority approved course to permit them to fly drones under commercial operating conditions.

Aerial photography and videography has become an invaluable tool for the EPA, Investigation Manager Stephen Barry said.

“To be able to view a site from up to 120m above ground level provides us with a much greater amount of documentable evidence,” he said.

“By adding another five pilots to the team of four existing pilots from various EPA fields our capacity to respond to and document investigations that require remote aerial imagery has been boosted greatly.”

The EPA now frequently uses drones in cases such as large-scale illegal dumping, where accessibility due to the size and contents of a site may make it difficult to document on foot.

Drones are also used to conduct aerial surveys of sites and stockpiles to verify the integrity of information provided to the EPA.

EPA Manager Investigations and Tactical Support Stephen Barry said contractors had completed the work and the site is now back to close to its former status.

“The management of this site over the years has been incredibly frustrating for the EPA and the local community, with the alleged illegal dumper repeatedly failing to comply with clean-up orders,” Mr Barry said.

“We are pleased to have been able to remove 248 truckloads of hazardous waste from the community, and will be doing everything in our power to recuperate the costs of this clean-up from the alleged offender.”

Mr Barry said the overall cost of the operation was substantial, but could not expand on the total due to legal proceedings being taken against a Port Adelaide-based demolition contractor who the EPA will allege is responsible for the illegal dumping.

“In total the contractors have safely removed 3,304.50 tonnes of hazardous waste and transported it to a specially lined cell at the licenced asbestos disposal area at the Cambrai Waste Depot.

“It is a great relief to finally have this material removed from the site, and we thank the residents and organisations in the Sedan area for their patience during the unforeseen delays,” Mr Barry said.

The EPA has continued to operate throughout the restrictions, adhering to social distancing requirements.

Our Emergency Response Teams, Community Engagement Officers, Authorised Officers, scientists and support staff have worked around the challenges and continued to operate.

We have been in regular contact with major licensees to check on their welfare and offer any support they may require.

Some aspects of our operations have been paused or restricted due to COVID-19, but our focus has remained on providing a better environment for the health, wellbeing and prosperity of all South Australians.

We will continue to adjust to the restrictions as they change, and provide the best level of service possible while social distancing requirements remain.

The policy provides the legal framework for the assessment of a wide range of noise issues, including domestic and non-domestic sources.

The Noise Policy discussion paper, which is now released for stakeholder　consultation, is the result of a review of the legislation and policies used in the regulation and management of noise in South Australia.

This review is being conducted for 2 reasons.

The first is to consider noise related issues that have been raised with the EPA in recent years.

The second is to make updates required as a result of the introduction of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 and the Planning Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, which have changed the way that noise and land use are managed in South Australia.

The Noise Policy will need amendment in order to align with these new pieces of legislation.

Consultation is open until 5pm Friday 17 July 2020.

At the conclusion of the consultation period, all comments will be considered and summarised in the form of a consultation report.

A revised Noise Policy (draft) will then be developed and released for further, broader consultation.

Please contact Ella Langford – 8204 2071 or via email for further information.​

The EPA Position Statement was developed with regard to feedback from industry representatives, and will provide clear direction for operators wishing to submit proposals to develop EfW activities.

EPA Chief Executive, Tony Circelli, said that the Position Statement is the latest in a series of initiatives by the EPA to support the development of new industries, support sustainable economic growth and create employment opportunities through pursuing circular economy outcomes in South Australia.

“The Position Statement is consistent with and helps achieve the resource recovery objectives set out by South Australia’s Waste Strategy 2015-2020,” he said.

Mr Circelli said: "The initiative aims to best address competing outcomes, firstly ensuring that EfW initiatives complements, and not competes with, the highly successful material reuse, recycling and recovery sector in South Australia, while providing the opportunity to further avoiding mixed waste material unnecessarily going to the landfill."

“We would like to thank all who have contributed their feedback and expertise to help form the framework.”

Full details of the Position Statement

EPA Manager for South East and Campaigns Naomi Grey said it was pleasing to see the greater majority of operators doing the right thing.

“The compliance of almost all of the surface coating sector shows that the industry is taking its responsibilities to protect the environment seriously,” Ms Grey said.

Surface coating, which includes metal finishing, hot-dip galvanising and spray painting or powder coating, are covered under Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Act 1993.

The primary risk to the environment from surface coating is the lack of appropriate bunding of chemicals and liquid waste, potentially resulting in soil and ground or stormwater contamination.

There is also a minor risk of noise and air pollution.

The EPA inspected 40 of the surface coating operators in late 2019.

Of the 520 total licence conditions carried across the sites, 28 breaches of licence conditions were found, with 13 facilities committing multiple breaches.

Of the identified breaches found, almost half were due to the improper storage of liquid waste, with 50% of those due to a lack of appropriate bunding.

“We will continue to monitor and work with operators who were found to have breached the regulations to ensure that they can operate effectively within the EP Act regulations, noting that these are difficult times for the industry during COVID-19 restrictions,” Ms Grey said.

SA Surface Coating Sector Compliance results

The sites, on Battens and Pipelines roads, were discovered after an EPA investigation with the assistance of SA Police, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and local government.

EPA Director Regulation Peter Dolan said the EPA had stepped in to remove the waste after the Port Adelaide-based demolition contractor alleged to have dumped the material failed comply with a clean-up order.

“We have engaged appropriately licensed contractors to carry out the work in order to protect the community and the environment,” Mr Dolan said.

“I can assure residents that the clean-up and transport operation is perfectly safe. Asbestos has to be inhaled to be hazardous to human health.

“This waste has been sprayed with glue, which prevents the escape of any exposed asbestos fibres and also works as a dust suppressant.

“It will be wrapped and transferred in covered trucks to a specially lined cell at the Cambrai Waste Depot, which is licensed to receive asbestos.

“Air quality monitoring is also being carried out at both sites while work is under way.”

Transporting the waste from Sedan to Cambrai is expected to take about a month, with trucks working between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday, plus Saturdays if required.

The EPA is in the process of preparing a brief for the Crown Solicitor, seeking criminal prosecution relating to the dumping of the waste and cost recovery for the clean-up.

This stage will take in a further 362 properties to the northwest and west of the current testing, bringing the total sample size to 1,000 properties.

The EPA has been testing the Beverly area since 2015 for historically used chemicals from past manufacturing activities in the area.

Chemical traces in the area’s soil and groundwater (or bore water) include trichloroethene (TCE), with the EPA testing along the groundwater aquifers to see if a groundwater prohibition area (GPA) required for Beverley and Woodville South.

Acting Director Regulation Mr Andrew Pruszinski said groundwater in this area is contaminated and should not be used for any purpose (mains and rainwater is not affected).

“Chemicals are known to have affected groundwater in this area, making it unsuitable for use.”

“Home grown fruit and vegetables are safe to consume, provided they are not watered with groundwater,” Mr Pruszinski said.

Both the existing and new assessment area will also include testing for TCE vapour.

Residents may see the drilling and monitoring of bores on the road verges as part of the new testing.

More information is available by phoning (08) 8124 4216 or at Engage EPA website.

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, community meetings are not possible, but residents can register their interest for an online community information session.

In this edition we will bring you special messages from the founding and current Chief Executives and Presiding Members, reminiscing about the introduction of the EPA, and the conditions it began in on 1 May 1995, to the development of the organisation, its growth and leadership, and the ongoing commitment to provide a better environment for the health, wellbeing and prosperity of all South Australians.

I recall well the steep learning curve the members of the first Board experienced. Fortunately, whilst the Authority did not then have direct control over the Department’s staff other than the few who reported direct to the Board, including Rob Thomas and Corinne Kelly, access was seamless. I was struck by the professionalism of the many highly qualified experts available to guide decisions on complex issues, as well as the Board members from diverse backgrounds who ensured that the decisions of the Board were greater than the sum of its individual parts.

I was also impressed by the guiding provision in the Environment Protection Act 1993 that in making its decisions, a precautionary approach was to be applied. This was significant. Thus, in making decisions, the burden of proof to be applied, whether in a civil or criminal context, regarding enforcement and in providing advice, was not only the balance of probabilities (civil) or beyond reasonable doubt (criminal), but tempered by the overriding statutory direction.

In the general community when addressing the effects of climate change, we so often hear the response from interested parties that ‘you can’t prove that it causes climate change’. By way of example, the debate about cigarettes was often that ‘you can’t prove they cause cancer’. Even today, some writers foster the view that ‘you can’t prove pollution is causing climate change’. Like the human body, the earth is a living, breathing body. Just as putting cigarette smoke into fragile human lungs was always, as a matter of common sense, a dangerous thing to do, so it is with the earth’s climate. Eventually, scientists proved that cigarettes caused cancer. As did fluorocarbons cause holes in the ozone layer. The smoke from the recent bushfires is still circling the planet. 

A precautionary directive is and was the most positive and important directive in the Act. It should become the guiding principle of Parliament in its legislative role. 

Stephen Walsh served as Chair of the EPA Board from 1995 to 2003

1 May 2020 marks 25 years since the commencement of the Environment Protection Act 1993 in South Australia and the creation of the EPA as we know it today. While this anniversary milestone provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and challenges of the last 25 years, it also heralds the future.

More than ever, we recognise the value of a strong and effective environmental regulator as South Australian industries deal with recovery from recent bushfires and COVID-19. It is evident that we will be working on adapting to new ways of working and doing business. It is important that we have an effective, trusted environmental regulator that can help support and grow South Australian business while at the same time ensuring we protect the quality of our water, air and land. 

Importantly, we need an EPA that values working with people from across the community, recognising that the scale and complexity of the challenges often require a collaborative approach to deliver effective and sustainable outcomes.

We will be looking to a future where we will need to respond to the impacts of climate change, such as more frequent extreme weather events and the transition to renewable energy, whilst continuing to safeguard our community by managing the impacts of pollution in water and air, and deal with legacy contamination from past industry practices. We also look to play our part to drive a more circular and durable economy, including with the waste and resource recovery sector, where possible unlock the potential of former contaminated land for urban development, and continue to provide for more sustainable development in South Australia.

The EPA will continue to work with stakeholders and uphold its focus on being a high performing, effective and trusted regulator for the next 25 years and beyond.

On behalf of the EPA Board, I wish to thank all those stakeholders who have worked with us to uphold the objects of the Environment Protection Act and who have provided us with input and feedback over the years. I encourage you to reach out to the EPA for advice and assistance should you need it. I look forward to continuing our work to protect South Australia’s environment.

The health and welfare of employees, stakeholders and community is the EPA’s priority. While the way work is carried out may change, the focus remains on providing support and guidance to industry and the community. This will help ensure that businesses can continue to operate within the Government’s social distancing requirements and to keep the environment and the community safe.

Many EPA staff are working from home. They will continue to be available by email and phone, and will also seek alternative solutions for face-to-face meetings where possible. This might include invitations to take part in meetings via video or teleconferencing.

Responses to some enquiries might take longer than usual while the most urgent and important matters are prioritised.

It is critical that the EPA’s contact with licensees continues to be effective during this time. Licensees are encouraged to contact the EPA early if they have any emerging or urgent issues or risks.

Licensees are also encouraged to continue to engage with neighbours and communities. There are many options available to stay connected, including digital platforms. The EPA’s community engagement team is available to assist with advice.

The EPA can be contacted via email or 24/7 on 08 8204 20​04 and will continue to provide updates on the EPA website.

The complaint states that between 31 January and 3 February 2019 the company polluted the environment by discharging, or failing to prevent the discharge of, about 700 litres of sulfuric acid from its site into First Creek at Port Pirie.

Potential environmental harm was caused by polluting the environment and creating harmful conditions for fish and other plant and animal life in the creek.

The offence is covered by section 79(2) of the Environmental Protection Act 1993.

The EPA has been undertaking monitoring work since March 2019 near a site that was used to manufacture tin cans between 1940 and 1984.

Groundwater near the site, at 24 Murray Street, is known to be contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE) from historical industrial chemical use. TCE was used for metal cleaning and historic handling instructions were to tip it out onto the ground.

On 12 September 2019 the EPA established a groundwater prohibition area to protect current and future residents from contaminated groundwater in parts of Hendon, Royal Park, Seaton and Albert Park. Residents are reminded that bore water should not be used for any purpose.

Albert ParkThe EPA recently received results from a second stage of soil vapour sampling in the area and the next step will be looking at whether TCE has entered residential indoor air as vapour at the 6 properties.

In the rare instance that a home is affected by vapour contamination, the EPA works with residents to manage any potential health risk.

For more information visit Albert Park update.

Smoke from fires and other sources of pollution raises the concentration of fine particles in the air, and can result in health problems, especially for children, older people and those living with respiratory diseases like asthma.

This graph shows spikes associated with smoke from the bushfires on Yorke Peninsula, Cudlee Creek, and Kangaroo Island, and even from those interstate, plotted against data from the previous five years.

These spikes represent several instances when concentrations of PM 2.5 particles exceeded the national standard of 25 micrograms/m³, and others where levels were not hazardous, but resulted in visible smoke haze across Adelaide and regional parts of the state.

EPA staff attended the State Emergency Centre on a daily basis while the fires were active, are part of the State Recovery Operations Group, attend Local Recovery Group meetings and local community meetings in the Cudlee Creek and Kangaroo Island fire grounds, and have staff assisting on a regular basis at the Local Recovery Centres.

They are also working with the fire-affected areas of Keilira and Yorktown, as well as Port Lincoln following the recent flooding.

The Solid Waste Levy has been waived for people affected by the fires on Kangaroo Island, and in Cudlee Creek, Yorktown and Gawler in order to reduce the cost of disposing of large amounts of burnt material.

Water experts have provided advice on a range of issues, including appropriate locations for burial pits for dead wildlife and stock in order to prevent contamination of ground and surface water, and potential contamination of dam and river water due to fire ash.

The EPA has also been providing advice Green Industries SA on waste issues, including the disposal of asbestos and CCA-treated timber, and with SA Health and the Bureau of Meteorology on air quality messaging relating to bushfire smoke.

Read more on disposing of bushfire waste, including government-funded waste removal.

Stewart Morgan, 38, of Murray Bridge East, was fined a total of $29,000 in the Environment, Resources and Development Court.

Mr Morgan pled guilty to causing environmental harm to the Tobalong Wetland, failing to comply with the requirements of an EPA clean-up order, filling land in a flood zone without development approval, and failing to remove the fill when directed by the Rural City of Murray Bridge.

Tobalong is one of the last remaining wetlands between Mannum and Wellington, and plays an important role in the health of the river, as well as providing vital habitat for water birds and a range of aquatic life.

Mr Morgan was fined $11,000 for causing environmental harm, $4,000 for failing to comply with the EPA clean-up order, $9,000 for filling land in a flood zone and $2,000 for not removing the fill, plus $2,200 in prosecution costs and $960 for the Victims of Crime Levy.

He will have to comply with the terms of the clean-up order by removing the fill and revegetating the land as wetland habitat. The EPA will also seek reimbursement of its costs of $45,000 for engaging experts to assess the damage to the site.

In December 2015, Mr Morgan’s company, SA Morgan Pty Ltd, bought a property on Jervois Road, White Sands, which included part of the western section of the wetland.

Between 22 and 26 February 2016, he excavated a road to improve access to the river, dumping the soil into the wetland, which was dry at the time but vegetated with reeds.

EPA officers attended the site after a report from a member of the public, and ordered Mr Morgan to stop work. He had already spread between 2,000 and 5,400 tonnes of soil, smothering more than 6,000m² of floodplain to depths of between 50cm and 1m.

Experts described the affected area as being highly disturbed, degraded and compacted, and said there had been a negative impact on native fauna and flora, and local waters.

The EPA issued a clean-up order requiring Mr Morgan to engage an environmental consultant, remove the soil and restore the site to wetland habitat, and the Rural City of Murray Bridge also required him to remove the fill.

He did not comply with either order, instead proposing to leave the fill in place and revegetate the area with terrestrial plants.

Anyone planning to spread fill or undertake works on a river property should seek advice from their local council before beginning work.

The EPA received a report in June 2019 that a man had been approaching locals looking for scrap metal to use in artificial reefs.

The man was believed to be launching his boat from the Port Davis boat ramp near Port Pirie, leading EPA investigators to begin a two-month surveillance operation.

Investigators identified the boat, then located two disposal sites about 6km offshore, in 8m of water.

The boat owner initially denied being involved in artificial reef creation, but when he was shown photographs of his boat filled with old television aerials, he admitted to disposing of litter in marine waters.

He was issued with a notice to remove and appropriately dispose of the scrap metal at his own cost by 17 January, and has complied with this.

The fine is a timely reminder to fishers that creating private reefs is punishable under the law.

Material like this breaks down over time, contributing to pollution and creating hazards for other boaties.

Information from the public is invaluable in uncovering illegal reef building, and with new technology, the EPA can carry out on- and offshore surveillance to find those responsible.

If you have any information about illegal reef building in South Australia, please call the EPA on 8204 2004. You can remain anonymous.

Fluorinated foams contain PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkalyl substances, which have also been used in a range of everyday domestic products including non-stick cookware, fabric stain protectors, and food packaging.

South Australia was the first state to ban PFAS in firefighting foams, announcing the change on 30 January 2018.

Industry was granted a two-year grace period to help it meet the requirements of the ban.

Seven sites, including large fuel stores and defence facilities, have applied for exemptions for an initial period of three years. Six have been granted, and the seventh is currently being processed.

The transition to fluorine-free firefighting foams can be a complex one at large sites, as they can have kilometres of piping to clean out or replace, and safety must not be compromised during the changeover.

The EPA is satisfied that if the sites are operated and managed in accordance with the conditions of the exemptions, it is unlikely environmental harm could occur.

All operators who were granted exemptions were required to enter into an EIP with agreed milestones to ensure the transition progresses.

There are several professional, accredited laboratories that can test groundwater for a fee.

Metropolitan Adelaide has a long history of industry and manufacturing, and in the past chemical handling procedures were not as robust as they are today.

Dry cleaners, foundries, metal processors, timber processing plants, airports, landfills, refrigeration factories, petrol stations and fuel stores have all been associated with groundwater contamination.

Over the years, chemicals like hydrocarbons, heavy metals, nitrates, pesticides, and PFAS from firefighting foams have leached into the soil in some areas, and some of these, like TCE and PCE, are associated with serious human health risks.

While bore water in Adelaide tends to be used for garden irrigation or filling pools, this is enough to bring people into contact with hazardous chemicals.

Residents in a number of areas have been asked not to use their bore water for any reason, but it’s important to remember that undetected contamination may also exist. 

Aquifers are extremely difficult to clean up, so once groundwater is contaminated, it is likely to remain so for many years.

If you have ever been told not to use your bore water, you should not start to use it again unless it has been tested and confirmed to be safe.

Mains water and rainwater are safe to use in areas where bore water use has been prohibited.

More information on site contamination and bore water.

More information on current assessment areas and groundwater prohibition areas.

The EPA has received applications for 661 petrol stations across the state.

Petrol stations were added to the list of activities of environmental significance requiring a licence because of the ongoing cost of soil and groundwater contamination caused by leaking storage tanks.

While standard licence conditions now apply to all petrol station sites, fees depend on annual turnover, with small and mid-tier operators paying less than those selling large volumes of fuel.

If you are a service station operator and have not yet applied for your licence, please email or call (08) 8204 2058.

Industry experts found that it had deteriorated to the point where recycling was no longer a viable option, as the paper and cardboard were breaking down.

The EPA required KordaMentha, the receivers for failed recycling company SKM, to carry out extensive investigations into how the material might be dealt with before the decision was reached.

SKM baled together paper, plastic, aluminium and broken glass – plus the inevitable contaminants found in yellow bins – then shipped the material interstate to specialised processing centres.

Unfortunately, there is currently no technology available in South Australia to manage the bales.

It will now be sent to Inkerman, north of Adelaide, and stored in a separate section of a landfill cell. If the technology becomes available in the future to process the material, it can be recovered.

Sending the waste to Inkerman will allow the owners of the shipping containers to reclaim their property after many months of not receiving any rent.

The Environment Protection Act was updated in 2018 to give the EPA stronger powers to require financial assurances from waste companies to guard against excessive stockpiling and abandonment, similar to cases seen interstate.

The Murraylands location is just one of several such sites uncovered outside the Adelaide metropolitan area recently.

Investigations are continuing, and the EPA has issued orders the operators of all three sites to stop receiving waste, and has identified a number of waste transport companies that have been using them for waste disposal.

Both landholders and waste transporters are being reminded to be aware of their responsibilities, as both can be penalised and the maximum penalties are significant:

• operating a waste depot without a licence: $120,000 for a company or $60,000 for an individual
• unlawful disposal of waste: $250,000 for a company and $120,000 or two years’ imprisonment for an individual
• causing serious environmental harm: $2,000,000 for a company and $500,000 and/or four years’ imprisonment for an individual.

Landholders who allow waste transporters to dump on their property – even if they consider they are only receiving fill – can be charged. As well as criminal convictions and significant fines, they risk large clean-up bills and being left with ongoing site contamination that can destroy the value of the property.

Likewise, it’s not enough for waste transporters to say they didn’t know the site was unlicensed. It is your responsibility to personally sight documentation such as the site’s EPA licence, council approval and the landowner’s consent.

Already this year, three people have received sizeable fines in the Environment, Resources and Development Court for matters relating to illegal waste depots, and more cases are in train.

In October, the EPA also disqualified a demolition contractor’s transport licence for three years after he was found to not be a fit and proper person.

Anyone with information regarding illegal landfill operations is encouraged to contact the EPA on 8204 2004.

High-quality, up-to-date research in areas including pollution, waste, radiation and noise is vital to EPA regulation and decision making.

Opportunities for collaboration include honours or PhD projects, financial or in-kind contributions towards research, literature reviews or support for grant applications.

For more information, visit www.epa.sa.gov.au/research

A wind change pushed smoke from bushfires on Yorke Peninsula towards Adelaide, where it created a thick haze that posed a particular risk to children, older people and those with respiratory complaints.

The air quality index all over the state was rated as very poor for most of the day, with airborne particles peaking at about 600 micrograms/m3 between 6am and 8am.

This is 12 times higher than normal readings, which are usually less than 50 micrograms/m3.

The EPA draws its air quality data from its network of eight monitoring stations around metropolitan Adelaide, and four in Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie.

The air quality index represents a 24-hour average, so while skies were blue again by mid-afternoon, the index around the state continued to show as very poor for the rest of the day.

By the following afternoon, readings from all monitoring stations had returned to good or very good.

Air quality data is available on the EPA website and is updated every hour: https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/data_and_publications/air_quality_monitoring

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances are man-made chemicals that have been used in a range of industrial and consumer products since the 1950s. Recently, they have attracted attention due to their use in firefighting foams, which is now banned.

The drop-in session will be held at Folklore Café from 4pm-7pm on Tuesday, 3 December, and staff will be able to talk about what where PFAS is found, how it is regulated and current health research and advice that is relevant to South Australians.

For more information, or if you can’t make it but still have questions you would like to discuss, please call 8124 4216 or email engage.epa@sa.gov.au

A ban on fluorinated foams came into effect in South Australia on 30 January 2018, but licensees have the opportunity to apply for an exemption in certain circumstances.

The transition from fluorinated foams can be complex, especially at large sites such as fuel stores, where kilometres of piping and storage tanks for the foam must be decontaminated or replaced without compromising safety or interrupting the supply of fuel to South Australia during the changeover period.

If an exemption is granted, it is not permanent. It is initially for a three-year period, and requires an environment improvement plan (EIP) with agreed milestones to ensure the transition to fluorine-free foam progresses.

Any site that is granted an exemption must also meet certain conditions to ensure any use of fluorinated foams does not cause environmental harm.

For more information on PFAS, visit https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/environmental_info/perfluorinated-compounds

A groundwater prohibition area (GPA) takes effect on 12 December in an area of Thebarton and Mile End bounded by South and Port roads, the River Torrens, and Livingstone and Rose streets to the south.

Testing has found at least seven contaminated sites in this area, but the primary source identified as a former metal processor on George Street.

A range of hazardous chemicals has been identified in the groundwater, including chlorinated and petroleum hydrocarbons such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE), and metals.

PCE and TCE can cause serious health problems, including cancer, if people come into contact with them over long periods, but a bore water ban removes the major pathway for exposure.

At a former mining laboratory at 25 West Thebarton Road, low levels of uranium were found in one testing well, but radiation is not a concern for surrounding properties.

Mains water and rainwater in Thebarton and Mile End are not affected by any of the contaminants, and it is safe to eat home-grown produce so long as it has not been irrigated with bore water.

The water used by West End Brewing for its beer and in the community water fountain on Port Road is also safe, as it comes from the much deeper, contamination-free tertiary aquifer.

GPAs already exist in several parts of the metropolitan area, including Edwardstown, Allenby Gardens, Glenelg East and Hendon.

In a prohibition area, it is illegal to use groundwater above certain depths for any purpose, and a maximum penalty of $8,000 applies.

For more information, visit www.engage.epa.sa.gov.au  

The State Government added petrol stations to the list of activities of environmental significance due to the ongoing cost of soil and groundwater contamination caused by leaking storage tanks.

All petrol retailers will need to be licensed, regardless of whether they have underground or aboveground storage.

The EPA engaged with petrol retailer associations and groups on what the fee structure and licence conditions might look like.

Standard licence conditions will apply to all sites, but annual fees will depend on the amount of petrol sold each year, with small and mid-tier operators paying less than those with higher turnover.

All petrol retailers have been informed of the change, and online licence applications have been open since October.

Until 31 December 2019, there will be no application or assessment fees for petrol stations already licensed under the Petroleum Products Regulation Act 1995.

Application fees will apply for applications received for new petrol stations on or after 1 January 2020.

Trevor Coghlan, 64, pleaded guilty to operating a waste depot without a licence, failing to comply with a clean-up order, four counts of using abusive and insulting or threatening language to an authorised officer, and one count of hindering an authorised officer. He was fined a total of $24,500.

His son, David Coghlan, 39, pleaded guilty to one count each of using abusive or insulting language and hindering an authorised officer and fined $4,900.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Costello described Trevor Coghlan’s abuse of EPA officers as “crude, aggressive and appallingly offensive behaviour towards persons who were simply trying to do their job”.

Trevor Coghlan had been receiving scrap metal for recycling at the Cavan property, and EPA officers found generators, transformers and several mining trucks when they inspected the site in March 2015.

They also found oil-stained soil in several places, including heavy staining next to the workshop and sheds, and near the mining trucks. Large containers of drained oil were being stored on bare earth, rather than in a bunded area as required, with oil staining visible around them.

Mr Coghlan, who was living on the site at the time, claimed that vandals had scaled a fence and drained the oil from the transformers, but in a statement provided to the EPA, he admitted allowing oil to drain directly onto the ground while dismantling machinery.

Samples obtained by the EPA found soil contamination with petroleum hydrocarbons at a level that would make it unsafe for anyone to live or work there.

The EPA ordered Mr Coghlan to cease receiving waste at the site, and issued him with an environment protection order and a clean-up order that required him to have a plan in place by 30 June 2015 to make good the environmental damage.

Mr Coghlan did not comply with the clean-up order, and was abusive and threatening to EPA officers when they telephoned or visited the site to check on progress, and again when officers returned with SA Police to execute a warrant.

The Coghlans were evicted from the property in October 2018 and owner DPTI is now assessing the level of contamination and what clean-up might be required.

Hosted by CRC CARE, Global CARE and the University of Newcastle, the CleanUp Conference has its origins in Adelaide, with the first one being held here in 1994.

This year’s theme was Remediating the Planet, with a focus on PFAS as an emerging contaminant, and about 700 delegates attended from 27 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, Nigeria, India, and Thailand.

EPA staff were involved in organising the conference, including chairing sessions and organising the technical tours. Chief Executive Tony Circelli presented the opening plenary on South Australia’s approach to managing legacy site contamination, which providing us with the opportunity to showcase SA’s leadership in the site contamination sector, including orphan site management and the great importance of providing good quality, timely information to affected communities.

ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program will broadcast a panel discussion recorded at the conference and featuring Danielle Torresan from the EPA Site Contamination Branch. You can download the podcast from the Big Ideas webpage.

Photo courtesy ASB Creative.

The EPA has accredited specialists as auditors since 2007. However where an audit is not required, a gap has remained for people who practise as assessment and remediation professionals.

Certification schemes for site contamination are relatively new in Australia. The lack of certification can pose a risk to human health, contribute to financial loss and personal hardship to current and future property owners, and result in legal action.

The Environment Protection Authority’s Site contamination policy: certification of practitioners came into effect on 1 August 2019, recognising the standards necessary for the recognition of certifying schemes, and the circumstances under which the EPA will recommend or require the use of certified practitioners.

There are two existing schemes in Australia – one managed by the Environmental Institute Australia and New Zealand and the second managed by Soil Science Australia – and both have been recognised as able to certify site contamination practitioners.

The EPA has worked closely with both schemes to ensure they meet nationally agreed standards.

Read more on certification here or contact the EPA Site Contamination branch by emailing epasitecontam@epa.sa.gov.au

Regulations covering burning in the open were updated in 2016 to apply to all built-up areas across the state.

Under these regulations, council approval is required to burn outdoors in metropolitan Adelaide and in townships.

A bonfire is not necessarily the best way of dealing with excess organic material, especially in the suburbs or inside town limits.

In most cases, the preferred option is to dispose of the material through your council’s free green waste drop-off days or via the regular green bin system, which has the extra benefit of recycling the material for compost.

Council will issue a permit if burning is considered necessary for fire prevention or to dispose of piles of agricultural or forestry waste, so this won’t affect anyone’s ability to prepare for bushfire season.

The penalty for burning in the open without a permit is $300, so checking before you burn could save you a lot of money.

Smoke can have serious effects on human health, and while it can affect anyone, the risks are greater for the elderly, young children, and people who have cardiovascular or respiratory diseases.

It also creates a nuisance in built-up areas, and can be a source of conflict between neighbours.

Learn more about burning in the open here, or contact your local council.

If you are doing a broadacre burn or disposing of vegetation piles outside a township, no permit is required, but you must comply with the relevant CFS Code of Practice.

Staff from the EPA’s Science branch recently attended the SA Oyster Growers’ Association (SAOGA) Forum in Streaky Bay to launch the checklists, which reflect the requirements of the Code of Practice for the environmental management of the South Australian oyster farming industry.

Checklists are available for marine farming sites, oyster depots where grading, packing, and equipment maintenance and storage takes place, the use of vehicles and vessels such as oyster punts, tractors and forklifts, and the hatcheries where oyster spat is grown.

As well as assisting oyster growers, the checklists can be used by government agencies to check compliance with environment protection legislation during site visits.

Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) manages aquaculture licences, with the EPA assessing and providing comment on all new licence applications, variation of licence conditions, and lease conditions.

If you have any comments or suggestions to improve either the code or the checklists, please email EPAScience@sa.gov.au.

One covers the way the waste levy is collected from landfills, and the other relates to how financial assurances might be applied to stockpiles.

Waste levy collection

The proposed changes aim to ensure that the waste levy is collected in a fair and consistent way that also encourages resource recovery and good environmental outcomes.

Draft legislation has been developed to amend the Environment Protection Regulations 2009 and the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010.

Read the report and the draft legislation

Financial assurances

The Environment Protection Act 1993 was amended in 2017 to allow for financial assurances to be put in place to address the risks associated with unauthorised stockpiling or abandonment of waste.

The EPA is seeking feedback on the information sheet, Financial assurances and stockpiling – who, when, what and how much, which outlines the proposed approach to applying financial assurances.

Submissions

We encourage you to provide detailed feedback on how the proposed changes may affect your business.

Please send email submissions to epainfo@sa.gov.au with ‘Waste Reform Consultation’ in the subject line, or post to

Waste Reform Consultation

Environment Protection Authority
GPO Box 2607
ADELAIDE SA 5001

Consultation closes at 5pm on Monday, 21 October 2019.

The EPA will also be holding industry consultation sessions later this month.

All feedback received during the consultation period will be considered when finalising any changes.

For further information, please contact the EPA by calling 8204 2004 or by emailing epainfo@sa.gov.au.

Dredging of the Outer Harbor channel wrapped up on 18 September 2019, and Flinders Ports is now undertaking bed levelling works in the channel before completing a final survey.

The EPA is working with Flinders Ports to ensure the closure plan is implemented. The plan includes seagrass monitoring in April 2020 and again in April 2022, bathymetric surveys of the dredge area and disposal area, and removal of all plant and equipment from the premises.

Watch the footage here to see how backhoe dredge Magnor operates.

Read more about Flinders Ports’ environmental licence and the scientific monitoring of the dredging operation.

The Environment Protection Authority has been investigating groundwater contamination in the area for a number of years, and has previously asked residents not to use their bore water for any purpose.

Residents in 2800 homes had been notified that a groundwater prohibition area (GPA) would take effect from 12 September.

Testing has found a range of chemicals in the groundwater, including petroleum and chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethene (TCE), dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride.

The upper aquifers are contaminated to a depth of 10m. Anyone with deeper bores can continue to use them, but this water should be tested before it use.

Mains water and rain water are not affected, and it is safe to eat home-grown produce so long as it hasn’t been irrigated with bore water.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are known to cause cancer in cases where people have been in contact with them over long periods.

They are also extremely difficult to remove once an aquifer is contaminated, and they remain in the environment for many years, so this groundwater may never be safe to use again.

The Hendon Industrial Area is the primary source of the contamination, but there are at least another 13 contaminated sites in the new GPA.

Several other GPAs are already in place around metropolitan Adelaide, in Edwardstown, Allenby Gardens and Glenelg East.

It is illegal to use groundwater in a GPA, and a maximum penalty of $8,000 applies.

The ban on bore water covers all uses, including irrigating gardens and lawns, drinking, showering, and filling swimming pools, as these are all pathways for people to be exposed to the contamination.

For more information, visit www.engage.epa.sa.gov.au

Renewables

With the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, the size, scale and environmental impacts of renewable energy facilities have increased.

These facilities require regulatory effort by the EPA to ensure environmental monitoring and compliance, as well as making sure that effective community engagement is undertaken.

Technological advances also mean there are now more options for these facilities to adjust their operations to deal with issues such as noise.

Generation methods such as pumped hydro, wind farms and hydrogen facilities will be licensed, but solar photovoltaic and batteries will be excluded as their operation does not meet the threshold to warrant licensing.

The EPA will now work with the Department for Energy and Mining, BioEnergy Australia and the Clean Energy Council on how licensing will be introduced.

Poultry farms

From 1 July 2020, poultry farms will join piggeries, cattle feedlots and saleyards in requiring EPA licences.

The shift to licensing has been driven by a substantial growth in both the SA poultry industry and in the size of individual operations.

Poultry sheds can have a range of environmental impacts, including odour, pollution of ground and surface water, waste management and noise.

When the Environment Protection Act was established, the average poultry farm had tens of thousands of birds, but there are now sites with more than a million birds, and the scale and potential impact of the associated environmental issues has increased significantly.

Only sites with the capacity to keep more than 250,000 birds will require licences, bringing SA into line with other states.

Licensing will begin on 1 July 2020. Licence fees and conditions will be determined in coming months, and affected operators will be informed how to make an application.

Waste Away SA was fined $21,000 on 21 June for receiving and storing asbestos without a licence.

When EPA officers inspected Waste Away’s Wingfield depot in January 2017, they found five skip bins containing up to two tonnes of asbestos and asbestos-contaminated material.

Waste Away is a licensed waste transporter, but did not have a licence to receive or store asbestos at the site.

Operators licensed by the EPA to transport asbestos waste can only take the waste to a facility that is licensed to receive or dispose of asbestos. Storing asbestos requires the appropriate licence to operate a waste depot.

Transporters also need to ensure that the appropriate tracking forms are submitted, and that the asbestos is wrapped properly and clearly marked – ‘Caution – asbestos. Do not inhale dust’ – for the safety of anyone who handled the waste.

This prosecution follows a proactive education campaign in 2016 where the EPA inspected all licensed asbestos transporters and provided guidance on their licence conditions for the disposal and transport of asbestos.

Waste Away was also fined a further $420 for discharging wash-down water from an industrial or commercial site into the stormwater system, and required to pay $800 in court costs and a Victims of Crime Levy of $160.

The proposed GPA covers parts of Thebarton, and is bounded by South and Port roads to the west and east, and the River Torrens to the north, with the southern border beginning at Rose Street and ending at Livingstone Street.

The area’s groundwater had been contaminated by a number of hazardous chemicals associated with manufacturing and industry, including chlorinated and petroleum hydrocarbons such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE), and nitrates.

The EPA has been undertaking environmental assessment work related to a former metal processing site on George Street, Thebarton, since 2017, and it is this contamination that has resulted in the move towards a GPA.

PCE and TCE can cause serious health problems – including cancer – if people come into contact with them over long periods of time, and the bore water ban is designed to remove the major pathway for exposure.

TCE and PCE remain in the environment for a long time and are notoriously difficult to remove from groundwater once an aquifer is contaminated, meaning these chemicals could still be there in hundreds of years.

Western Adelaide has a long history of manufacturing and industry, and there are several other sources of contamination as well as the George Street metal works.

Groundwater testing undertaken by a third party at 25 West Thebarton Road found heavy metals, including a small amount of uranium relating to testing of mining samples.

Radiation levels at the site are not of concern, being indistinguishable from background levels on most of the property.

Mains water and the deeper tertiary aquifer accessed by West End Brewing, including the community water fountain on Port Road, are not affected by the contamination.

Home-grown produce is also safe so long as it has not been irrigated with bore water.

Community information sessions will be held later this month. For more information, visit www.engage.epa.sa.gov.au.

The EPA is installing air monitoring equipment at four locations around Lonsdale and Hallett Cove, with the data to be made publicly available online.

The aim of the study is to analyse the size of the dust particles and weather conditions to identify the potential sources of the dust that has been concerning locals.

EPA staff hosted a workshop with residents on 19 June to share information on how the study would be run, including how air quality monitoring equipment works and what sort of data it can collect, and to get input on the placement of the dust monitors.

Decisions are now being made on where the equipment will be placed, and another community workshop is planned for later this month.

For more information, visit https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/business_and_industry/industry-updates/lonsdale-precinct 

The review of the state’s Windfarms environmental noise guidelines considered national and international research, and the latest international standards and recommendations.

Some revisions have been made based on the review, and new draft guidelines have been released for consultation with the public, experts and industry.

The draft addresses potential noise impacts from multi-stage windfarm developments, and new windfarms potentially affecting people already living close to existing windfarms.

Changes include a new section on infrasound and low-frequency sound, more stringent requirements for background noise data, and stronger tonality provisions.

The information gathered via the consultation will be combined with the most up-to-date information from around the world, including from the World Health Organisation, in preparation for a major update of the guidelines.

The update will include consultation with other Australian jurisdictions, with a view to standardising guidelines across the country.

Two studies funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) are under way. When the findings are available, they will be taken into account in the review.

For a copy of the draft guidelines, visit https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/our_work/have_your_say

The EPA licenses more than 1500 South Australian businesses, institutions and agencies under the Environment Protection Act 1993.

Good for Environment Good for Business is an annual publication, showcasing the innovative practices our licensees are developing and implementing.

This year’s special regional edition highlights the achievements of two companies and two local councils.

Timber processor OneFortyOne invested $4m at the Jubilee Highway Timber Mill in Mount Gambier to rectify air-quality issues that had been a problem for many years when it bought the mill in January 2018.

Oat and grain processor Blue Lake Milling solved a long-term noise problem at its Bordertown site by investing $500,000 in noise reduction technology.

Northern Areas Council built a spur line from the Jamestown wastewater treatment plant to irrigate the crop grown by the local Apex Club to fund community projects.

Alexandrina Council upgraded its Goolwa Waste and Recycling Depot, creating a one-stop shop for waste and recycling for the Fleurieu community, and improving access and stormwater management.

Read their stories

Many people think of wood smoke as somehow being ‘good’ smoke because of its association with happy camping trips or cosy nights in front of the fireplace.

But the truth is that if you can smell smoke, no matter where it’s coming from, it’s potentially doing you harm.

Smoke is a major cause of poor air quality in winter, especially in built-up areas, or regions like the Adelaide Hills and South East where temperatures are lower and many homes have wood-burning heaters.

Exposure to smoke can cause health issues for elderly people, young children, or anyone with a respiratory disease.

However, there is no reason why we can’t enjoy the warmth and comfort of a fire during winter so long as we keep a few guidelines in mind.

• Get your chimney cleaned once a year to remove creosote build-up, which can be harmful. If you own an investment property with a wood heater, don’t forget about your tenants.
• Only use well-seasoned, dry wood, and never burn treated or painted wood as this can release additional harmful chemicals into the air.
• Your chimney should only smoke for the first 20 minutes after starting the fire.
• Let your fire go out overnight instead of choking it down and letting it smoulder, as this creates unnecessary smoke.

Bonfires and wood-burning fire pits are not allowed inside townships, but if you have a fire pit or chiminea for outdoor heating, you can still use charcoal as a fuel source.

Outdoor wood fires for cooking food are allowed so long as the size of the fire is proportionate to the food being prepared, such as a wood-fired pizza oven or barbecue.

For more information on enjoying a fire without annoying your neighbours, contact your local council or check our wood smoke information page.

The National Association of Charitable Recyclers (NACRO) sought assistance from the EPA to determine whether the items being left outside shop hours were genuine donations or acts of illegal dumping.

EPA officers carried out three nights of covert surveillance at a ‘problem’ eastern suburbs store, where donations were frequently being left after hours.

While some of the items EPA officers saw were not suitable – like partially used containers of food and stained pillows – most of what was being dropped off in front of the store were saleable items like bagged clothing, shoes, toys and books.

However, by the end of each of the three nights of surveillance, these donations had been picked over, many things taken, and the storefront left littered with scattered items and empty plastic bags.

Charity stores knew that scavenging was a problem, but until the surveillance was carried out, nobody realised how big the problem was.

Up to half of the after-hours visits EPA officers filmed were from people who stole items, sometimes loading donations into their cars by the bagful.

Some people made multiple visits to steal items in the same night to steal, and one was seen on all three nights when surveillance was carried out.

The video was shared with The Sunday Mail and Messenger Newspapers, with the aim of showing the community what can happen to after-hours donations.

Donate the right way

• Check with the shop first on what items they accept. For example, some specialise in clothing, and don’t take books.
• Only donate good-quality items that charities can give to people in need or sell.
• Always drop items off during business hours – remember, many charity shops are open on weekends.

Groundwater in the area is contaminated with a range of hazardous chemicals due to historic industrial activity, and residents have been asked not to use the bore water for any purpose.

Western Adelaide has a long history of industry, and chemical disposal and containment in the past did not meet current standards.

The Hendon Industrial Estate is the primary source of contamination, but there are at least 14 contaminated sites in this area.

Testing has found a number of chemicals of concern in the groundwater, including volatile petroleum and chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethene (TCE), dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC).

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are of particular concern because they are known to be carcinogenic if people come into contact with them over a long period.

They also remain in the environment for many years because they are notoriously difficult to remove once an aquifer is contaminated.

The main way people come into contact with these chemicals is by using groundwater, either to irrigate gardens and lawns, or for drinking, showering or filling swimming pools.

Mains water is not affected by the contamination, and home-grown produce is safe to eat so long as it had not been irrigated with bore water.

Several groundwater protection areas have been declared around the Adelaide metropolitan area, including the areas surrounding Edwardstown, Allenby Gardens and Glenelg East.

For more information, visit https://engage.sa.gov.au

The licence transfer coincided with the completion of the contract settlement between the two companies at the end of May.

The EPA has regulated this site during its operation and its closure, and will continue to do so throughout the post-closure period.

All the existing conditions and obligations in the Flinders Power licence have been transferred to the Cu-River licence, including the requirement to implement the dust management plan.

The transferral also requires Cu-River to provide a $2.4 million financial assurance to the EPA in the form of a bank guarantee by 1 October 2019.

This figure represents the remaining costs of post-closure obligations, and is focused on the former ash dam, including dust management practices.

As vegetation cover increases at the site, these requirements may change. In recognition of this, the licence conditions require a site audit in late 2020 to evaluate the remaining financial liability.

The amendments to Schedule 1 – Prescribed activities of environmental significance came into effect on 1 June.

The changes update and clarify language to make the schedule easier to understand and apply, and better delineate between different waste-related activities.

They do not affect which activities are licensed or the requirements of those licences, with the exception of fish processing, where an authority will no longer be required for freezing, chilling or packing facilities.

Licence conditions have not changed as a result of these amendments.

Read a summary of the changes here.

For further information, please contact Doug Johnson on 8204 2027 or at doug.johnston@sa.gov.au.

After this cut-off date, the supply and use of fluorinated foams will be prohibited, and manufacturers will be required to prove their products are compliant.

A ban on the products came into effect on 30 January 2018, with two years for industry to meet the new requirements.

Foams are used to fight fires involving flammable or combustible liquids like petrol or oil, and are commonly used in firefighting drills at sites like defence bases, airports and fuel storage facilities.

Depending on the size of the firefighting system, users should contact their fire safety service provider or consider engaging a suitably qualified consultant to organise the transition.

The EPA understands that the transition to fluorine-free foam by the cut-off date may not be possible in certain cases. Applications for short-term exemptions may be considered, but they must be received before 30 August 2019.

Only licensed waste facilities that are authorised to receive PFAS waste can legally accept fluorinated foams for storage prior to destruction. Disposal to the environment is strictly prohibited.

Legislative requirements are set out in Section 13A of the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015.

For more information on the transition, visit www.epa.sa.gov.au/environmental_info/perfluorinated-compounds, or contact Dylan Stone (email: dylan.stone@sa.gov.au phone: (08) 8463 7811), or Aiden Ryan (email: aiden.ryan@sa.gov.au phone: (08) 8204 2154).

Petrol stations, the resource recovery and transfer sector, and businesses licensed under Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Act 1993 will be affected.

Petrol stations will require an EPA licence for the first time from 1 January 2020, reflecting the amount of site contamination caused by leaking or decaying underground petrol tanks, and the work required to deal with this. There will also be an increase in fees for large fuel storage facilities

Licence fees for resource recovery and transfer activities will increase to reflect the level of regulatory work needed for this sector.

The Solid Waste Levy will also rise. In the metropolitan area, it will rise to $110 per tonne on 1 July, then to $140 per tonne on 1 January 2020. In regional areas, the new rates will be half this. The levy applies only to waste going to landfill, not to recovered resources, as an incentive for recovery and recycling.

Charitable recycling organisations have identified the growing cost of sending unusable donations to landfill as a problem. In recognition of this issue, the waste levy paid by charitable recyclers to dispose of this waste will not rise on 1 July and will drop to the regional rate of $70 per tonne from 1 January 2020.

Schedule 1 licence fees will also rise, in addition to annual CPI increases. This increase reflects the cost of maintaining a 24-hour emergency response team for serious environmental incidents and emergencies, and the community engagement support we provide to business.

The EPA will be working with peak bodies and industry during the implementation phase.

The new guidance recognises the changing nature of residual waste composition, and the need to design and operate landfill facilities that take into account the changing chemical and physical composition of residual waste.

The revised guideline reflects best-practice engineering design and construction, based on a revised classification system, as well as new operational practices such as daily cover and resource recovery activities, and expanded guidance on obligations surrounding closure, post-closure and landfill gas.

The structure of the guideline now reflects each of the design and construction elements as an integrated system, with regulatory and operational controls.

Before updating the guideline, the EPA began engaging with the waste industry and stakeholders in October 2017, with a consultation period in mid-2018 that included an invitation for submissions, running workshops and meeting with licensees.

The EPA will continue to work with licensees on an individual basis to review design, construction, operation, closure and post-closure obligations, and where changes to site practices are identified, the EPA will amend licence conditions in accordance with Section 45 of the Environment Protection Act 1993.

Read the Environmental Management of Landfill Facilities – solid waste disposal (2019) or a summary of submissions received during the consultation period.

For further information about the updated guideline, please contact the EPA on (08) 8204 2004 or epainfo@sa.gov.au

The proposed revisions include published guidance and instruction notes to auditors, as well as some new mandatory guideline requirements (MGRs) and updates to existing MGRs.

The guidelines were last reviewed in 2015, and required an update to reflect current best practice.

Have your say by reading the draft guidelines and filling out the online submission form before 31 May 2019.

For more information, contact the EPA Site Contamination Branch by phone on 8204 9934 or by email.

In Brighton, tetrachloroethene (PCE) from a former dry cleaning shop was discovered in an area bounded by Brighton Road, The Crescent and Jetty Road.

Preliminary assessment work found significant concentrations of the chemical in soil vapour, and further testing was carried out on six properties nearest the highest concentrations.

Results showed that the homes were not at risk of vapour intrusion, but groundwater is contaminated and should not be used for any purpose.

Home-grown produce remains safe to eat so long as it has not been irrigated with bore water.

In Unley, testing for groundwater and soil vapour contamination was undertaken in an area bounded by Charles Lane, Little Charles Street, Mary Street and Tyne Place.

There had been concern over past industrial practices associated with a number of historical industries including refrigeration and furniture making.

However, further assessment has ruled out both groundwater contamination and any risk of soil vapour intrusion.

People who were formerly told not to use groundwater have now been informed that their bores are safe to use.

For more information on areas being assessed for site contamination, visit the Assessment areas page.

Operation Enviroscan focused on compliance with the Environment Protection Act and general environmental duty, and providing advice on better practices where required.

Officers visited 12 businesses on nine sites, resulting in one expiation for a breach of licence conditions, one expiation for breach of water quality policy and three follow-up advisory letters for minor issues.

Generally, businesses were compliant with their licence conditions, while sites that did not require a licence were compliant with their general environmental obligations.

The original ‘Code of practice for vessel and facility management (marine and inland waters)’ was developed in 2008 after extensive consultation with the industry.

The code included the option for containing or treating greywater on board the vessel as requested by boat owners, but in recent years, issues arose with a commercially-available on-board treatment system, as well as maintenance requirements that applied to other systems.

The EPA and industry have worked together to initiate an alternative, cost-effective and sustainable solution to alleviate any outstanding compliance concerns.

After testing and advice from its in-house scientists, the EPA has endorsed this alternative system in the updated code of practice.

Greywater from galley sinks will now be contained on board, then pumped to land for disposal due to its potential to carry pathogens, and materials such as oil, grease, waste solids and detergents.

Greywater from bathrooms and laundries represents a lower risk and can be treated on board using a residential greywater system with a bromination/chlorination function before being discharged back to the river.

The revised code of practice highlights the importance and value of government and industry working in partnership to establish practices for the ongoing benefit of the whole community.

More information and a copy of the code

Luke Andrew Mason, 31, pled guilty to a single count of operating a cosmetic tanning service for fee at the TanEzy Spray Tan Salon on Brighton Road, a business that has since closed down.

Owning a tanning bed for personal use is not against the law, but it has been illegal to charge for the service since 2015.

The Cancer Council has warned in the past that the use of tanning beds is associated with an increased risk of cancer, and that no solaria are safe to use.

The EPA hopes that the latest fine will send a warning to anyone thinking of operating or working in illegal solaria.

When EPA officers inspected the TanEzy premises, they found six operational tanning beds, one of which was in use.

While Mr Mason did not own this business, he was a paid employee and he was responsible for the operation of the equipment at the time.

The maximum penalty for the illegal use of solaria is $10,000.

Anyone with information about the illegal use of solaria should contact the EPA on 8204 2000, or 1800 623 445 outside the metropolitan area.

Eleven bores will be dug on nature strips in an area bounded by Murray, Botting, Osborne and Main streets in coming weeks.

Depending on the results from the initial bores, the EPA may then approach residents for permission to test on private properties.

Contamination was first reported in the area last year, and is centred on a Murray Street factory used by a number of industries during the post-war period, including a company that manufactured tin cans between 1940 and 1984.

When chemicals enter groundwater, they can emerge from the soil as vapour, and in some cases the vapour can also enter homes, posing a threat to residents.

Basement rooms may be at higher risk of vapour intrusion than above-ground rooms, simply because they are closer to the contaminated groundwater. Anyone in the Albert Park assessment area who has a basement room is encouraged to get in touch with the EPA.

Bore water in the area should not be used for any purpose, but rainwater and mains water are not affected. Home-grown produce is also safe, unless it has been irrigated with bore water.

The principle of ‘polluter pays’ applies for contamination in South Australia, but in cases such as this, where the original polluter can no longer be found or is unable to pay for to remediate the site, the site is declared an ‘orphan site’ and the EPA steps in to inform the community and undertake the necessary work.

For more information on the Albert Park assessment area is available online or by telephoning EPA Community Engagement on 8124 4216.

The EPA has released a 3-minute video snapshot to give you a quick rundown of the report, which is produced every five years as a barometer of the state’s environmental health.

The video release coincided with an EPA community forum that offered an opportunity for stakeholders to listen to, and ask questions of, five expert panellists.

The authors of the issues papers featured in the report – Professor Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University, Associate Professor Justin Brookes from the University of Adelaide, and Integrated Coasts Director Mark Western – were joined on the panel by SA State Manager of the Bureau of Meteorology John Nairn and Conservation Council Chief Executive Craig Wilkins.

Topics covered included aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity, coastal protection, climate change, and the role of NGOs in environment protection.

Explore the State of the Environment Report

The EPA licences waste facilities and transporters, and Operation Cover Up was part of ongoing related ongoing compliance and enforcement.

The day-long operation was carried out in response to the amount of litter on roads, especially on the sides of Port Wakefield Road where it has been causing concern to stock owners as well as being unsightly.

EPA officers observed an average of five heavy vehicles a minute during the operation, ranging from small trucks, tippers and skip bin trucks, to semi-trailers and B-Doubles.

The drivers of the vast majority of the trucks had taken proper measures to secure, contain or cover their loads.

A total of five expiations were issued, though only one was to a licensed waste transporter, indicating that licensed transporters are doing a good job of meeting their environmental obligations.

The fine for the licensed transporter involved litter falling from the truck’s trailer after the driver had dropped a load of waste at the Inkerman landfill.

Officers also issued an expiation to the driver of an unregistered tipper truck travelling along Port Wakefield Road at Lower Light.

A significant amount of onion casings was being blown from the truck’s tray, creating a hazard for other road users.

Watch the video

The EPA’s Emergency Response Team attended the site to assist incident controllers the CFS, providing advice on how to reduce environmental harm from the spill.

Staff traced the spill 500m downstream, contaminating water, reeds and the creek bank.

In the hours after the crash, containment socks were deployed to limit the movement of the spill, and contractors were able to remove the majority of diesel from the surface of the water.

The banks were allowed to dry out before the contaminated material was removed, in order to minimise soil loss.

The EPA has continued to work with the CFS and contractors to provide advice on the clean-up and on the long-term impacts of the spill.

Bluestone and dolomite have been mined at the quarry since the early 1970s, with all mining activities at the site, including the proposed expansion, being regulated by the Department for Energy and Mining.

The quarry also requires an environmental licence from the EPA to cover the management of issues such as dust, stormwater and waste.

The conditions of this licence relating to dust were revised in 2016, with Southern Quarries required to identify potential sources of dust and take all practical steps to minimise dust leaving the site.

A number of measures have already been put in place, but dust remains a cause of concern for local residents.

In response, the EPA has directed Southern Quarries to undertake a variety of measures, including commissioning an independent dust study at the site, installing a 500-tonne storage bin at the secondary sand stockpile, and resealing the entrance road up to and around the weighbridge.

These measures have progressive deadlines ranging from 31 March for the completion of the dust study to 31 October for resealing the road.

Enclosure of other areas, such as the primary dump chute and the tertiary sand open stockpile, will be undertaken over the next 12 to 24 months.

A complete list of requirements and a timetable for their completion, along with further information about environmental regulation at the quarry is available online.

Port Adelaide Salvage SA Pty Ltd and its director Maurizio Corsaro were fined a total of $72,000 plus costs for operating illegal waste depots at two sites in the northern Adelaide Hills.

The first count related to activities at a Highbury quarry between August and November 2012.

Port Adelaide Salvage was fined $44,000 for this operation – the largest fine ever handed down in SA for an offence of this nature.

Notably, the court sentenced on the basis that the company avoided $30,000 of dumping fees through this illegal activity.

Mr Corsaro was fined another $10,000 as an individual, with the two parties sharing costs of $3850.

A second business, EM Earthmovers, had already been found guilty of operating the unlawful waste depot at the quarry and was fined more than $24,000 plus costs in August 2018.

EPA investigations estimated that between 64,000 and 137,000 m3 of construction and demolition waste had been dumped in the quarry, at the corner of Lower North East and Churchett roads.

Mr Corsaro also pled guilty to a second count of operating an illegal waste depot later at a property at Range Road South, Houghton between January and August 2015, and was fined another $18,000 plus $3350 in costs.

EPA Manager, Investigations and Tactical Support, Stephen Barry said the second offence was particularly disappointing, as Mr Corsaro was well aware of his environmental responsibilities, having already been the subject of an EPA investigation in 2012.

EPA authorised officers observed numerous tipper trucks entering and leaving the Houghton property. An estimated 1450 tonnes of waste was stockpiled at the site, including metal, construction waste and green waste.

Advice from the Country Fire Service during the Houghton investigation indicated the waste stockpile represented a significant fire risk because it was so close to native vegetation.

Mr Barry said unlicensed operations did not only pose a threat to the environment and the community.

“They also undermine the operation of legitimate waste and recycling businesses whose operators do the right thing,” he said.

Both the Highbury and Houghton sites were the subject of Environment Protection Orders, and have since been remediated at the defendants’ expense.

Licence conditions are still being finalised, but will include measures to minimise the loss of seagrass and the spread of Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) and the invasive pest plant Caulerpa taxifolia from the Port River.

These conditions take into account the 85 submissions we received from stakeholders and members of the public during the consultation period at the end of last year.

Before dredging can start, Flinders Ports will be required to satisfy Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) that they can reduce the risk of the spread of POMS.

Seagrass is a vital part of a healthy marine ecosystem, and minimising its loss was a major consideration in granting the licence.

Some loss of seagrass is inevitable in an operation of this nature, but the licence conditions aim to contain it to the immediate area around the channel as far as possible.

When channel dredging took place in 2005-6, turbidity in the water was a major cause of seagrass loss because the sand stirred up blocked the light to the plants.

To combat this, dredging operations will not start until autumn and will be condensed into the shortest timeframe possible.

There will also be turbidity monitoring while work is under way, with real-time alarms and stop-work triggers if the water becomes too cloudy.

Other conditions include monitoring of seagrass before, during and after dredging, and the presence of qualified marine mammal observers to prevent harm to the Port River dolphins.

Spoil from the dredging operation will be disposed of in the gulf, at the same site as was used during the last channel widening, after it was determined that land-based disposal would be too great a risk to delicate coastal ecosystems.

Read more about the environmental licensing process for the channel widening process. 

GMH was one of the first manufacturing facilities in South Australia to have modern closure and post-closure conditions added to its environmental licence, and the first to surrender its licence under the EPA’s more formalised closure system.

The closure was carefully planned, with the car maker submitting formal closure and post-closure plans to the EPA in November 2016.

When the final car rolled off the production line eleven months later, implementation of the plan began.

Closure plans typically cover demolishing buildings and other infrastructure, decommissioning and decontaminating equipment, removing and disposing of waste, managing contaminated soil, monitoring and managing emissions, carrying out community engagement and how the site will be managed after it is closed.

The site has now been handed over to new owners Pelligra, who plan to turn it into a business park.

For more information on creating closure and post-closure plans, read the guideline.

The contamination is associated with Beverley’s long manufacturing history.

In the past, chemicals were often disposed of by being poured onto the ground in the belief that they would evaporate. There were also accidental spills and leaks over the years that soaked into the soil.

Because of this contamination, the EPA has been advising residents in this area since 2008 that they should not to use their bore water for any purpose.

TCE in groundwater can also result in vapours rising through the soil and entering buildings.

A number of homes in Beverley tested positive for TCE vapours inside during the last round of assessments in 2017, and three of those with higher levels have already been fitted with underfloor ventilation systems that extract the contaminated air.

Another 13 homes were found to have lower vapour concentrations, either in internal air or under their floors. They showed levels that were not considered to pose any immediate health risk, but still warranted ongoing investigation.

These properties will be retested in coming weeks, and we have recommended that they should have ventilation systems installed as a precaution.

Seasonal soil vapour testing of the EPA’s existing network of bores in the Beverley area will also take place in February and March, and there will be another opportunity for indoor air testing for residents who did not take part in 2017.

Soil in the area is not contaminated, making it safe to eat home-grown produce so long as it has not been irrigated with bore water.

Read more about the Beverley assessment area.

The notice invites operators to provide feedback on the fee structure for petrol station licences and to indicate how they would like to be engaged in the implementation of the new requirement.

The South Australian Government recently added petrol stations to the list of activities of environmental significance that require authorisation under the Environment Protection Act 1993, in recognition of the issues caused by aging or leaking underground storage tanks.

The new requirement takes effect from January 2020, after which it will be illegal to operate a service station in SA without the appropriate licence.

The EPA has already met with industry associations and groups, and is now inviting individual operators to take part in a survey that will help inform the design and implementation of the licensing process.

Initially, the EPA will grant a licence on application to all petrol stations currently licensed under the Petroleum Products Regulation Act 1995, and will be in touch with operators in coming months with information on how to apply.

If you are a service station operator and have not yet been contacted by the EPA, or you have further questions, please contact Tobias Hills at tobias.hills@sa.gov.au or (08) 8204 2004.

Schedule 1 of the Act sets out activities that require an authorisation from the Environment Protection Authority, usually in the form of a licence.

The changes will not affect who needs to have a licence or licence requirements. The only exception is fish processing, where the trigger for when a licence is required has been reduced.

Licence fees and conditions will not change as a result of these amendments.

The amendments will:

• better reflect modern terminology;
• make it clearer when environmental authorisation is required;
• better differentiate between waste activities to simplify regulation and reporting on industry character; and
• take into account changes to the EP Act due to the introduction of the Environmental Protection (Waste Reform) Amendment Act 2017.

You can also expect to see changes to licence activity reference numbers and/or phrasing after the changes take effect.

Read a summary of the upcoming changes and further information.

For further information on this matter, please contact Doug Johnston on 8204 2027 or doug.johnston@sa.gov.au.  

The Environment Protection Authority is running its annual “It’s best to test” campaign to remind gardeners of the importance of regular testing for their bore water.

Most home bores tap into shallow aquifers, and these are the ones affected by historical contamination.

Metropolitan Adelaide has been home to a wide range of industrial activities over the years, and this has resulted in chemicals such as heavy metals, hydrocarbons, pesticides and nitrates leaching into the soil and contaminating the groundwater.

In most cases of contamination, the EPA advises people not to use their groundwater, but sometimes when the contamination is severe and widespread, a groundwater prohibition area is declared, like those in place in Edwardstown, Glenelg East, and Flinders Park.

Aquifers are notoriously difficult to decontaminate, and once they are polluted, they are likely to remain so for many years to come, so anyone who has been told not to use their bore water in the past should not start using it again.

Even if their bore is not polluted, it risks spreading the plume of contamination further.

It is safe to eat fruit and vegetables grown in areas with contaminated aquifers, so long as the produce has not been irrigated with bore water. 

Deeper bores, like those typically used by councils and schools for watering large spaces, are also safe.

More information

The scoping paper, Improving South Australia’s Recycling Makes Cents, is the start of a conversation on how we can build on our success and improve the effectiveness of the CDS in recycling and litter reduction.

Introduced in 1977, South Australia’s CDS is a highly successful environmental program, reducing litter and recovering valuable resources.

Almost 603 million containers, or 42,912 tonnes of glass, cardboard and aluminium, were returned to collection depots for recycling in 2017-18.

Discussions are under way with key stakeholders to identify the issues and options that will be the focus of the review.

These stakeholder discussions and public consultation will inform a CDS review discussion paper for stakeholder and community consultation in mid-2019.

The CDS review is running at the same time as a review of single-use plastics led by Green Industries SA.

A discussion paper, Turning the tide on single-use plastic products, seeks to further the public conversation around a range of plastic products that are having a serious impact on our environment.

Have your say on the CDS review at the EPA website ‘Have your Say’ page or YourSAy.

Have your say on single-use plastics at the Green Industries website or YourSAy.

Both consultations run until 22 February.

The GPA comes into effect from 20 December 2018, and is the final step in protecting the community from chemical contamination in the area’s groundwater.

The Environment Protection Authority asked residents some time ago not to use their bore water for any purpose, and the engagement process was invaluable in showing how current bore owners were using their bore water, and from what depth they were taking it.

As a result of the consultation, the EPA altered the proposed prohibition area so that residents who were accessing the uncontaminated deeper aquifers would be able to continue to do so.

Councils and schools will also continue to be able to use bore water for irrigation, as they access the much deeper Tertiary aquifer, which is not affected.

The groundwater contamination is currently limited to parts of Glenelg East and Glenelg, but the proposed prohibition area also takes in sections of Glenelg South and Glengowrie, as this will help avoid spreading the contamination further.

The Glenelg East area has seen significant historical use of chemicals, including perchloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) used at a former dry cleaning business.

Other chemicals found include petroleum hydrocarbons from degraded underground storage tanks at a service station, and heavy metals and cyanide from a former blacksmith’s forge.

These compounds can cause health problems if people are exposed to high enough concentrations over long periods of time.

The EPA has already established Groundwater Prohibition Areas in Edwardstown and the surrounding suburbs, and the Allenby Gardens/Flinders Park area.

In a prohibition area, it is illegal to use groundwater above certain depths for any purpose, and a maximum penalty of $8,000 applies.

For further information, check our website, telephone 8204 2004 or email engage.epa@sa.gov.au.

Dust in the area can come from a variety of sources, including motor vehicles, earthworks, domestic sources, wind-blown natural dust, and sea salt, and on occasion, from EPA-licensed activities.

The EPA regulates 42 licensees in the Lonsdale precinct, conducting regular inspections to monitor issues such as dust emissions and ensure compliance with licence conditions.

The EPA’s role is to ensure that operators take all reasonable and practical measures to minimise impacts on the environment and the local community.

The community can be involved in working with EPA to identify the best locations for air-quality monitoring, and to advise on how the EPA could report the outcomes of monitoring.

Stay up to date with information on the Lonsdale precinct.

The current Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982  regulates activities involving radiation sources and provides for the protection of people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.

The Act regulates radiation use across a number of industries, including industrial processing, mining and petroleum operations, medical and health care, and educational facilities.

However, it has not been updated substantially since it took effect 36 years ago, and in that time technologies that use radiation have moved forward considerably.

The draft Bill provides updates that aim to improve the security of radioactive material and better regulate exposure to radiation in the community.

The Bill will ultimately replace the Act, bringing the regulation of radiation in SA into line with current international best practice.

As part of the consultation process, the Environment Protection Authority is engaging with a range of stakeholders, including industry bodies, professional associations, environmental advocacy groups and government agencies. 

The consultation closes on 15 February 2019.

Find further information on the Bill and information on how to make a submission here.

The business has expanded from its humble beginnings, where it operated with one truck from its Salisbury yard.

It now owns a fleet of more than 30 concrete vehicles, a cement tanker, three tipper trucks and a laboratory, with additional sites at Gawler and Lonsdale.

In 2017, the company was given development approval to undertake an extensive development of its Salisbury South site to improve and increase the concrete-bathing business.

EPA Senior Environment Protect Officer Sharon Finney says the major works have resulted in an exceptionally well-managed and operated site, with significantly reduced environmental impact.

“The site has been fully hard-sealed and all stormwater is captured and recycled in the process,” Ms Finney said.

“Although considerably larger than the previous operation, the design and management of the site is particularly good.

“Effective dust extraction systems are in place and the design of the cement-filling system is particularly impressive, with no cement of aggregate dust visible during or after truck filling.

“There has been a considerable reduction of noise emissions from on-site truck movements outside the property and the wash-down areas are well maintained due to the good housekeeping practices in place.

“These aspects have been incorporated into premix Concrete SA’s Environmental Management Plan, which promotes a great focus on environmental processes.

“The site is considered a very good example of a clean and well-run concrete-batching plant.”

For more case studies, read the 2018 Good for Environment, Good for Business report.

The following guideline has been updated recently:

• Wastewater lagoon construction guideline 9 October 2018

Anthony Rosier, 66, was found to have illegally operated a waste depot at his rented home in Highland Valley, near Macclesfield, between 10 November 2015 and 6 April 2017, and again at a second rental property at Bradbury, near Scott Creek, between 6 April and 25 September 2017.

The defendant had held licences to remove and transport asbestos between January 2006 and mid-August 2016, but both licences were cancelled following breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act and Work Health and Safety Regulations.

EPA officers visited the Highland Valley address and requested that Mr Rosier properly dispose of asbestos sheeting that was stored within a trailer, but instead he moved it a new address at Bradbury.

The EPA engaged a licensed contractor to remove a total of 1.76 tonnes of asbestos stored in the trailer at the Bradbury property.

Asbestos is a hazardous material and there are clear guidelines for the safe removal and disposal.

This conviction should serve as a warning to anyone who is not complying with their legal obligations to dispose of asbestos safely.

In his sentencing remarks, the judge said that personal deterrence was an important factor in this case, as Mr Rosier had previously been convicted in the Magistrates Court and ERD Court of a number of other offences relating to the removal and transport of asbestos, including falsifying transport certificates.

The defendant was also fined $1800 for two counts of using abusive or insulting language to an authorised officer for his behaviour to two EPA officers when they attended his property.

He was also required to pay $1782 for the removal of the asbestos, plus $800 in prosecution costs and $640 for the Victims of Crime Levy.

The maximum penalty for running an unlicensed asbestos waste depot is $60,000, while the maximum penalty for using abusive or insulting language to an authorised officer is $15,000.

This five-yearly examination assesses the state and condition of our major environmental resources and identifies significant trends in environmental quality, and shows that, while South Australia was doing reasonably well, in some areas there are serious challenges to be met.

This is the seventh SOE Report and adds emerging pressures such as those stemming from climate change to the evidence that environmental sustainability must remain at the forefront of government, business and community decision making to ensure the state’s long-term prosperity.

The report draws together data and information from many sources to provide an independent, objective and consolidated assessment of environmental trends and issues.

It provides clarity about the South Australia’s environmental risks and pressures and sets out what is being done to protect the environment.

It also serves as a reminder that our quality of life, economic success, and social fabric are all underpinned by the health of the environment.

The SOE Report covers five themes: climate, air, inland waters, land, and coast. A new feature of the 2018 report is its inclusion of opinion pieces by experts Prof Corey Bradshaw, Prof Justin Brooks and Mark Western on biodiversity, coast protection, and aquatic ecosystems.

In some, such as air quality, the reuse of wastewater and stormwater, marine health and recycling, the state is doing reasonably well.

In others, like species loss, the increase in the amount and complexity of waste, and dealing with the effects of a changing climate, including sea level rise, there are challenges to be met.

The summary report highlights cross-cutting issues considered particularly important by the EPA Board, and makes six related recommendations to help safeguard our environment into the future, with a strong focus on preparing for a changing climate.

The EPA engaged quarterly with conservation organisations, whose views helped shape the report and provided the opportunity to debate important environmental issues facing the state.

The 2018 Report will continue to be a living document used to inform decision making across all sectors, including planning, investment decisions, policy development and management actions.

Read the 2018 State of the Environment Report.

The 200-metre stack, which had been a major landmark in Port Augusta for many years, was felled using explosives and dropped onto vacant land to the south-east.

Watch the demolition

The demolition of the stack was part of ongoing work to prepare the land for future industrial use.

Environment Protection Authority staff recently inspected the site to ensure that steps were in place for managing dust this summer.

Vegetation cover is increasing, and a dust suppressant that was applied in high risk areas has shown good results during recent high winds.

The power station stopped generating power in May 2016, and under the terms of its EPA licence, Flinders Power is required to implement a closure plan that includes rehabilitation of the ash dam and decommissioning and decontamination of the coal burning equipment.

As part of its licence conditions, Flinders Power was required to put in place a dust management plan, including minimising dust produced during work, applying suppressants and monitoring weather conditions.

Learn more about the licence conditions relating to the rehabilitation of the former power station sites, including the latest dust management plan.

The conference was organised by the Waste Management Association of Australia, with key themes including opportunities for SA, China National Sword, landfill and resource recovery, energy from waste, government policy, big data, and building a waste-wise industry and community.

There were also two technical tours focusing on source separation, recycling and energy recovery, and on green organics and food waste.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli provided a plenary speech on risk and the role of the regulator in promoting good environmental outcomes that also complement good business outcomes, and other EPA staff presented on topics including mass balance reporting, Energy from Waste, PFOS and PFAS, stockpiling, and the waste levy.

The EPA was a platinum sponsor for the event, reflecting the importance of this industry sector and the significant efforts being taken by the EPA to ensure a fairer and more certain environment for this growing sector.

In collaboration with the Metropolitan Fire Service, EPA officers have inspected 12 licensed depots to ensure operators are complying with stockpile-related licence conditions, and to assess current firefighting infrastructure and/or fire management plans.

These audits are aimed at ensuring that licensed operators are controlling risk at their sites to prevent catastrophic fires.

The inspections began on 1 November 2018 and where necessary, monitoring of the inspected sites will continue throughout the fire season.

Previous testing has found the groundwater in both areas contains the chemical trichloroethene (TCE), which can cause serious health problems with long exposure.

The Environment Protection Authority has already asked residents not to use their bore water for any purpose.

Home-grown fruit and vegetables are safe to eat in both areas, provided they have not been irrigated with bore water.

The groundwater contamination in Keswick came from the former Kelvinator refrigerator factory on Everard Avenue. The assessment area is bounded by Everard Avenue, Anzac Highway, and Croydon, Richmond and Farnham roads.

At Thebarton, the site contamination is from a former metal processing site on George Street. The assessment area is bounded by James Congdon Drive and Port Road to the east and Goodenough Street to the south, extending north-west to West Thebarton Road and Brown Street.

Extensive testing at both locations has revealed the extent of the contamination plumes, including the direction in which they extend and their outer boundaries.

The results have also shown that all of the properties at Keswick, and most of those at Thebarton are unaffected by TCE vapour entering into indoor air. However, six properties at Thebarton have been found to be affected by vapour intrusion.

As part of a trial, the EPA has installed ventilation systems at the six properties, with testing showing the tailor-made systems have made the properties safe. 　

In some cases, underground rooms may be at a higher risk of vapour intrusion as they are closer to the contaminated groundwater.

Anyone with an underground room that has not previously been tested should get in touch with the EPA.

Determination reports are now being prepared for to inform the establishment of groundwater prohibition areas if they are required in the future.

More information on the Keswick assessment area.

More inofrmation on the Thebarton assessment area.

Rain gardens use plants and layers of sandy material to remove pollutants from the stormwater running off hard surfaces such as roads and carparks, improving the quality of the water that reaches the sea.

Pollution from stormwater is a major killer of seagrass, which is vital to the health of the marine environment.

Most of the rain gardens funded through the Environment Protection Authority’s Rain Gardens 500 program were installed in public spaces and on roadsides, but two were built in schools and another two on private business premises.

Councils across the Adelaide area took part, with Adelaide City Council, City of Unley, City of West Torrens, City of Mitcham, City of Holdfast Bay, City of Charles Sturt, City of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters, City of Onkaparinga, City of Salisbury, and Light Regional Council all involved.

Native plants like sedges, rushes and grasses all make great base species for rain gardens, but native flowering shrubs and trees can be added as well to create something that is attractive as well as useful.

One of the best things about rain gardens is that they don’t need to be large to be effective: they can be as small as one parking space, or even just a single tree in a specially designed pit.

They can also be created in suburban backyards to help manage the water coming off roofs (subject to council by-laws), driveways and paved areas.

Rain Gardens 500 was a Catchment to Coast project, funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

You can find more information on the rain garden program here, including how to create your own.

Part of the multinational wine company Accolade Wines, Berri Estates Winery crushes about 200,000 tonnes of grapes annually – close to a third of South Australia’s crush.

With more than 200 permanent onsite staff, the estate includes a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that produces more than 90 million litres of wine a year, including 55 million litres of cask wine.

EPA Senior Environment Officer Justin Richardson says this is a large-scale production and the company’s emphasis on innovative environmental management practices is extremely positive.

"In late 2017, Berri Estates Winery began a composting trial that blended 1,500 tonnes of winery waste with 500 tonnes of mature compost supplied by a composting facility. The blended compost is now being offered to local growers."

Berri Estates Winery Operations Manager Travis Haeft said, "The trial has been a great success and presents an excellent opportunity for the winery and the region by converting a winery by-product into a valuable agricultural asset."

"From an environmental perspective, the composted material will deliver greater efficiencies to local agriculture businesses. The use of this material will assist in water savings and improving the nutrient quality of the soil in addition to assisting with the suppression of weeds, pests and diseases."

The winery is also currently investigating upgrading its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The proposal will see about 400 megalitres of wastewater treated to a standard capable of being used for agricultural irrigation.

The WWTP project will be a significant investment for the business, creating local employment and supporting the site’s sustainability into the future.

"Berri Estates Winery is proud to be a part of the Riverland community, and we seek to continually improve our environmental and sustainability performance to ensure prosperity for our region and future generations," Mr Haeft said.

For more case studies, read the　2018 Good for Environment, Good for Business report.

Thanks to everyone who responded to our survey earlier this year on what sort of stories you’d like to see in future editions of the newsletter.

You told us your top four topics of interest were environmental issues (88% of respondents) new laws and legislation (85%), court cases and other regulatory action (63%) and investigations (61%).

In the future, you can also expect to see more stories about good industry practice, innovations and technology, and the field work EPA staff are carrying out around the state.

You also told us that you thought a monthly newsletter was just right, so look in your inbox for a new edition on the third Wednesday of the month.

If there’s a topic that you’d like to see us cover, please email us.

The document sets out the long-term vision and objectives that will guide our work over the next four years as we continue to develop and apply modern and innovative approaches to tackle current and future environmental challenges.

The new Strategic Directions represent an evolution from our previous directions, with an emphasis on health outcomes, engagement and enabling innovation, and a refreshed overarching vision and objectives. They ensure that our efforts are aligned with whole-of-government priorities and expectations from the community and industry.

The development process has been comprehensive, including many strategic discussions with the EPA’s Executive Leadership Team and the EPA Board, and feedback from staff, industry, community organisations and other key stakeholders.

Our vision is for a better environment for the health, wellbeing and prosperity of all South Australians.

Our objectives are to:

• safeguard communities and the environment
• enable innovative and sustainable industry practices
• work with communities and industry to manage environmental challenges
• build and share our knowledge, science and information and
• be an effective and trusted regulator, striving for excellence in our capability and performance.

Petrol station licensing fees are being introduced in light of the fact that leaking underground petrol tanks are a known cause of groundwater contamination.

More than half the contaminated sites registered with the EPA are current or former petrol stations, but currently, petrol retailers are not required to have an EPA licence.

With the introduction of licensing, the EPA will be able to put conditions on the way petrol stations operate that will reduce the potential for contamination in the future. It will also allow for communities to be notified of new applications.

Fees have not yet been determined, but the EPA has begun consulting with industry on how licensing will be implemented.

The Dob in a Litterer scheme began in February 2017 as a way for people to easily report motorists throwing rubbish from cars.

The app-based program was successful in raising the profile of the problem of littering, and in its 18 months of operation, there were 1938 reports resulting in 1175 expiations.

However, it was expensive to run, and there was no evidence that it was having any impact on reducing the rate of littering.

Under the savings required through the State Budget, the decision was made to discontinue Dob in a Litterer to allow the EPA to refocus its efforts on more significant state-based issues, including regulation of all licensed premises under the EPA Act, and issues associated with industrial and commercial-scale activities.

Littering remains illegal. People can still be fined. Local councils issue littering fines, as they could before the program began and while it was running, and some councils have also started using the strengthened littering enforcement provisions that came into effect in February 2017.

EM Earth Movers Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to operating a waste depot without an environmental licence at a clay quarry on Churchett Road, Highbury.

An EPA investigation found that between 19,000 and 47,500 cubic metres of construction and demolition waste had been dumped into the quarry between 16 August 2012 and 12 November 2012.

Testing identified elevated concentrations of heavy metals, organochlorine pesticides and hydrocarbons, as well as asbestos mixed in with the waste.

When the EPA became aware of the illegal activity, it issued an Environment Protection Order, and the site has since been remediated.

These types of activities can result in significant harm to the environment and cost to the community, both through loss of amenity and the cost of cleaning up when the operators have long since gone.

This latest prosecution is part of the EPA’s increasing focus on large-scale and commercial-scale illegal dumping, which has resulted in a record number of successful prosecutions in the past year.

The messages are designed to let people know when water quality is not suitable for activities like swimming and surfing.

While beach water quality is usually very good off the Adelaide coast, it can drop when heavy rain flushes high volumes of stormwater into the sea.

These increased flows can result in discoloured or murky water at beaches that are near the mouths of rivers and drains.

SA Health recommends that people avoid contact with this turbid water for 72 hours after the stormwater has stopped flowing.

In the past, beach water quality alerts were issued for the whole metropolitan coast, but at the beginning of 2017, the EPA introduced an option allowing people to sign up for alerts for specific beaches in response to community feedback.

Individual alerts are now issued for Grange, Henley, Hallett Cove, Christies Beach, Noarlunga or Moana.

Sign up for beach alerts and for up-to-date information on beach water quality.

The consultation is the latest step in managing historic chemical contamination in the area’s groundwater.

The groundwater has tested positive for number of chemicals, including perchloroethene (PCE) and tricholoroethene (TCE) from a dry cleaning business, petroleum hydrocarbons from degraded underground tanks at a service station, and heavy metals and cyanide from a former blacksmith’s forge.

These compounds can cause serious health problems if people are exposed to high enough concentrations over long periods of time.

The EPA has been in contact with the Glenelg East community for some time in relation to the contamination, and had previously asked bore owners not to use their bore water for any purpose.

In April, residents were informed that extensive testing had shown they were not at risk from hydrocarbon vapours inside their homes.

Council and the schools in the area can still use bore water for irrigation, as they access the much deeper Tertiary aquifer, which is not affected by this contamination.

Home-grown produce is also safe to eat, so long as it has not been irrigated with bore water.

In a prohibition area, it is illegal to use groundwater above certain depths for any purpose, and a maximum penalty of $8,000 can apply.

The EPA has previously established prohibition areas in Edwardstown and the surrounding suburbs, and the Allenby Gardens/Flinders Park area.

Further information 

Now it has begun operating at a new, $25-million storage and distribution centre in Port Adelaide.

The 17,000m3 Adelaide Primary Distribution Centre site at Ocean Steamers Road in Port Adelaide features state-of-the-art facilities for storing up to 50,000 tonnes of fertilisers with the best available environmental control technologies.

The new facility is being used to store and load fertiliser into trucks for distribution to agricultural customers, and it is expected that 160,000 tonnes of fertiliser will move through the facility every year.

EPA Compliance Team Leader David Vaughan says the engineering design and management approach is considered best practice in South Australia.

“Incitec Pivot has implemented control measures on site to minimise dust from the fertiliser loading and unloading, storage and blending facilities,” he said.

“This ensures that the impacts on any adjacent sensitive receivers, the River or other businesses in the Port Adelaide River Industrial Precinct are minimised.

“All fuels, chemicals and hazardous goods used at the site are stored in designated areas that limit the potential for their escape into the surrounding environment.

“Any servicing of vehicles or equipment is also undertaken in the designated wash and maintenance bay.

“All hazardous wastes, such as waste oil, oil filters and hydraulic fluids generated during the service, are removed from the site to a licensed facility.

“The investment made in this site demonstrates Incitec Pivot’s commitment to ensuring environmentally sustainable practices.”

IPF Interim President Jamie Crough said they were constantly looking to innovate in ways that enabled them to care for the community and the environment.

“The company is conscious of the environment in which we operate, and we are demonstrating that not only through the investment in our new product distribution centre, but also through product innovation,” he said.

For more case studies, read the 2018 Good for Environment, Good for Business report.

• Environmental management of dewatering during construction activities 10 August 2018
• Guidelines for the assessment and remediation of site contamination 27 July 2018
• Container deposit collection depot guidelines 1 July 2018
• Beverage container approval guidelines 1 July 2018
• Collection depots – reverse vending machine guidelines 1 July 2018
• Guideline for industry community engagement 13 June 2018

The program launched on 1 February 2017, is part of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 and has been developed to support the South Australian Government’s commitment to introducing a public litter reporting system.

Since the program’s implementation, cigarette butts have accounted for approximately 80% of all reports received, with other items including beverage containers (4.9%), fast food packaging (2.6%), paper (11%) and green waste (0.3%).

A total of 315 warning letters have been issued and around 800 fines sent to motorists across South Australia.

Fines range from $210 for general litter, $500 for hazardous litter which includes lit cigarettes and glass, and $1000 for larger quantities of litter.

South Australians are encouraged to continue to support the program and report litter being thrown from vehicles to keep our streets and our environment clean.

Reports can be made via the Dob in a Litterer app or website.

The app can be downloaded for free from the Apple and Google stores.

The latest statistics are available every month showing totals since reporting first commenced in February 2017.

This is also summarised in a downloadable spreadsheet on the Data SA website.

Check out the Dob in a Litterer video

The amendments make South Australia the first state to ban the use of potentially hazardous fluorinated firefighting foams through legislation.

The EPA’s Chief Executive, Tony Circelli said the ban on fluorinated firefighting foams will effectively negate further environmental and human health risks associated with their use.

“The changes will provide the community and industry with certainty around the use of these products,” he said.

“The EPA will work directly with industry needing to transition through licensing, guidance and the development of environment improvement programs.

“We consulted with industry, community and individuals from April 2017 on the proposed ban and found there was strong support for the ban

Considerable work is also underway nationally, led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, in the management of legacy contamination from fluorinated firefighting foams.

Australia’s first PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP) has been endorsed and provides governments with a consistent and practical risk-based framework for environmental regulation of PFAS contaminated materials and sites.

Brighton

There is a continued focus on environmental assessments across Adelaide with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) beginning works at Brighton, south of the CBD.

The environmental assessment activities began in March to determine if contamination exists in the area.

The EPA is aware that an area within the suburb, bounded by Jetty Road, Brighton Road and The Crescent, has known chemicals such as tetrachloroethene (also known as PCE) detected in soil vapour. These chemicals are generally linked to historical industrial use and manufacturing activities, including dry cleaning.

The assessment activity will determine the nature and extent of the soil vapour contamination.

The works being done will provide further information about any risk to human health and if groundwater is impacted by PCE which can move up through the soil as vapour.

The assessment area includes about 150 properties, a mix of residential and commercial premises.

Environmental assessment activities in the area are part of a prioritised program developed to investigate orphan sites where the EPA has enough information about previous land use to call for assessments to determine if there is a potential health risk.

Environmental assessments under this program have occurred across metropolitan Adelaide including Unley, Edwardstown, Thebarton, Glenelg East, Hendon and Beverly/Woodville West and Woodville South.

South-Eastern Edwardstown

Residents were this month provided with welcome news that all properties in the area are safe from soil vapour intrusion.

The results follow extensive testing as part of the EPA’s priority program to determine if groundwater has been contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE).

Thebarton

Stage 2 of environmental assessments are being carried out in Thebarton, just west of the Adelaide’s CBD, as part of continued monitoring of groundwater and soil vapour contamination in that area. The works will commence this month and will provide seasonal information on soil vapour data.

Last year a small number of homes were found to have trichloroethene (TCE) detected in residential indoor air. A state of the art mitigation system is currently being installed in these properties.

Adelaide Resource Recovery (ARR) was convicted last month for failing to comply with its EPA licence condition for storage of construction and demolition waste (mixed) undercover at its waste depot in Wingfield between September and October 2013.

ARR was also fined $25,000, ordered to pay $160 Victims of Crime levy and ordered to pay the complainant a lump sum of $8,250 for counsel fees, $2000 for an outline of submissions as well as 85 per cent of other legal costs to the Crown.

The matter arose out of ARR’s view that the material in question was not waste and hence not subject to EPA’s conditions and regulation.

In sentencing Judge Costello said there was no existence of any real ambiguity. Despite some processing of the material occurring it still came within the definition of waste in the Act.

His Honour held that if the construction and demolition waste had been stored undercover, it would have presented less of a potential risk to the surrounding environment.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said this successful outcome in the Courts is significant as it provided greater clarity for the waste industry around what is deemed waste and what can be claimed as a product, an area of contention for the sector in South Australia and nationally.

“This case upholds and reinforces the EPA’s regulatory approach and policies relevant to the waste sector. Licence conditions are placed on companies to ensure the environment and community are protected from harm and that waste depots manage waste responsibility to meet these obligations.

“This has been a protracted matter with the EPA appealing the initial decision of the ERD Court. On appeal by the EPA, the Full Court of the Supreme Court in February 2017 found ARR guilty of contravening a condition of their EPA licence by storing Construction and Demolition Waste (Mixed) out in the open.

“While the EPA acknowledges the improvements ARR has made to its waste storage practices since this event, the EPA will continue to take regulatory action against companies that contravene their environmental authorisations. More serious contraventions will be pursued through the court system,” Mr Circelli said.

Fire severely damaged the Thomas Foods International’s abattoir site at Murray Bridge, with a collective and intensive effort from the South Australian government, TFI and community to work through the complexities and logistics of the incident to ensure safety at the site and the company’s continued operations.

As the environmental regulator, the EPA worked to ensure all measures were taken to prevent environmental harm with the EPA’s priority to provide an urgent response to the incident.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said the quick response and action prevented damage to waterways.

“The EPA and DEWNR (River Murray Operations and ecologists), local residents and a local earthmoving company took swift action following the incident at Thomas Foods International to protect waterways including the River Murray and the Rocky Gully wetland. This action also meant that they were able to safeguard two nationally protected species of fish in the wetland,” he said.

“Testing on site in the days after the fire in the waterways showed normal water quality conditions and no signs of adverse impacts,” he said.

The testing included ecological assessment of the drain adjacent to the Thomas Foods International abattoir, which feeds directly into the Rocky Gully Wetland then to the River Murray.

“This is a longer-term process and the EPA is working with other agencies and TFI on effective water management of the water canals on the TFI Murray Bridge premises to minimise any potential environmental harm in the future,” Mr Circelli said.

The EPA has also continued to work with TFI on the appropriate transport and removal of animal carcasses destroyed or spoiled by the fire as well as inspected the landfill to make sure that the disposal complied with the licence conditions to reduce any nuisance issues such as odour.

All trucks involved in the disposal of the carcasses were required to be rinsed at the landfill after delivery before returning to the TFI site to reduce odour in the area.

The EPA and other agencies are continuing to proactively work with TFI to identify how the local water and sewer network can best support a planned increase in processing at Lobethal, while limiting impacts on the environment and community.

It’s been another eventful and rewarding year. We have reached a number of milestones and delivered significant legislative change.

As we detailed in the previous edition of the EPA Monitor, our most recent achievement has been the implementation of the Environment Protection (Waste Reform) Amendment Act 2017. The Act modernises and strengthens our powers to better support a strong, legitimate resource recovery sector, as well as improve the EPA’s ability to prosecute illegal dumping cases. 

During 2016–17, the EPA conducted around 96 investigations and issued a number of clean up orders – redirecting in excess of 1,720 tonnes of illegally deposited waste into the legitimate waste management industry.

We have also heightened our presence in the community and strengthened our engagement work with licensees for better management practices to safeguard the community, through our ‘Better Communication and Community Engagement’.

We continue our extensive and important work on site contamination, and have included an article in this edition of the EPA Monitor of our intention to implement a groundwater prohibition in the Edwardstown area, in metropolitan Adelaide.

We also celebrated our 40-year milestone as the pioneers in this country of the Container Deposit Scheme. We recognise the program’s continued strength and community support.

We have also provided clarity for local councils and the community about local nuisance issues with the introduction of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016. Out of this legislation came the Dob in a Litterer program to address litter being discarded from motor vehicles.

The EPA has also welcomed two new Board members, Dr Stephen Christley and Catherine Cooper, and in November, we relocated to our new premises at 211 Victoria Square, Adelaide.

Our office will be closed from Monday 27 December 2017 to Monday 2 January 2018. However, our incident reporting and complaints line will continue to be operational throughout the Christmas and New Year Period. The EPA can be reached on 8204 2004 or 1800 623 445 (country callers only).

Media enquiries can be called through to 0439 137 641 or email.

In looking forward to 2018, we take this opportunity to wish you a safe and Merry Christmas and festive season.

The prohibition, which will take effect from 9 January 2018, is the second groundwater prohibition area to be established by the EPA.

Acting Director Regulation, Andrew Pruszinski, said the prohibition has been made following a comprehensive process.

“More than 100 assessment reports were reviewed on seven different source sites of groundwater contamination in parts of Edwardstown and Melrose Park. These source sites have contaminated groundwater at Edwardstown, South Plympton, Plympton Park, Park Holme and Ascot Park and Melrose Park.

“Contamination in groundwater can remain for many decades or longer, is very difficult to treat, and the most effective way to safeguard the community now and for future generations is to ensure the exposure pathway is removed. Any use of bore water has the potential to cause adverse health impacts from known chemicals of concern.

“We have consulted extensively with the Edwardstown community and began comprehensive engagement about the proposed GPA over the past six months. We have also been working with this community for many years as we have undertaken various assessments of ground water contamination.

“The community in Edwardstown and surrounding suburbs been provided with significant information of the site contamination concerns within their area, which are due to historical industrial practices,” Mr Pruszinski said.

The prohibition will mean that property owners with bores will not be able to take groundwater for any purpose depending on where they live. The majority of the area is contaminated in the first Quaternary aquifer (0 to 8 m), however closer to the source sites the prohibition will extend as far as the second (0 to 15 m) and third (0 to 26 m) Quaternary aquifers.

A maximum fine of $8,000 may be issued if groundwater is extracted once the prohibition comes into effect.

Deeper uncontaminated aquifers are exempt from this prohibition. Residents are encouraged to contact the EPA on 1800 729 175 if they are unsure how deep their bore is.

The determination report can be found on the EPA engagement website.

EPA Manager Investigations and Waste Compliance, Stephen Barry, said the removal of asbestos is treated seriously in South Australia because sufficient quantities of inhalation of fine asbestos fibres over time, can cause significant health issues.

“Before any demolition or refurbishment takes place, ensure that you have identified any potential asbestos by contracting a licenced asbestos assessor or removalist. Disposal of asbestos to an EPA-licenced landfill is the only responsible and safe options,” he said.

The EPA is also reminding renovators that high-pressure water sprays to clean a roof can be extremely hazardous.

Mr Barry said that this type of cleaning can cause asbestos fibres to be released creating a health risk to the renovator and their neighbours. This then requires professional attention to remediate and can result in a costly clean-up bill.

Penalties for non-compliance or illegally dumping asbestos material applies.

If anyone is found to have illegally disposed asbestos, a maximum penalty of $500,000 or four years imprisonment applies for an individual, or a maximum of $2 million for a body corporate.

Further information on asbestos safety can be found via the EPA website

The draft code of practice will be trialled on vessels from 1 January 2018 and will be the first document of its kind in helping skippers to understand their environmental duties, as well as giving them the tools they need to meet the EPA’s requirements.

During the trial period, the code will be refined to enable the sardine industry to address any practical issues that may arise during the Code’s implementation. Vessel specific plans will also be developed in 2018 to reflect differences in operational practices and infrastructure associated with each commercial sardine fishing vessel.

There are approximately 250,000 known groundwater (bore water) wells in South Australia and testing the bore water before use is the responsibility of all bore owners.

Like all industrial cities nationally and internationally, groundwater contamination exists in many areas across Adelaide, especially in suburbs on or near former industrial land.

Chemicals such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and other organic compounds), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrates are present in the groundwater in some areas.

In areas of former industrial activity where groundwater is likely to be contaminated, the EPA advises that it is especially important for residents to test the bore water before use.

While private users are not legally required to do so, the EPA reminds all bore owners of the SA Health advice that if residents choose to use groundwater, they should regularly have it tested to make sure that it is safe for its intended use.

Mains water and water for rainwater tanks are not affected by bore water contamination and home grown fruit and vegetables are safe to consume, provided that they are not watered with contaminated bore water.

More information about bore water testing is available from the EPA on 1800 729 175 or email

The EPA celebrates South Australian international success by sponsoring the environmental award, with Osmoflo now going on to the national Export Awards finals in Canberra on 6 December.

The Business SA 2017 Export Awards recognise innovative South Australian companies which are excelling in the international marketplace by selling and promoting their products and services, including our award’s winner, Osmoflo.

Announced at a gala awards ceremony held at the Adelaide Convention Centre in October, Osmoflo was recognised for its water solutions for drinking, recycling, processing and high purity purposes for the past 25 years.

Osmoflo has designed and built desalination plants in Australia, the Middle East, South East Asia, South America and India.

Last year, Osmoflo delivered its largest project – a seawater reverse osmosis plant providing drinkable water to 250,000 people in Jordan.

Strong community support has seen a steady increase in the overall return rate – now reaching 80 per cent.

Since 2005 when statistics were first collected, more than 6 billion containers have been returned under the scheme. This equates to about 583 million containers per year that are recovered, recycled and directed away from landfill.

An event at Parliament House was held during National Recycling Week earlier this month to mark the milestone.

This includes issues related to landfill, markets for recycled waste and the role of the Australian Government in providing a coherent approach to the management of solid waste. 

More than 50 written submissions had been made to the Inquiry and the date for the Committee to report had been extended to 13 June 2018.

The South Australian Government has made a submission that addresses each of the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference and states that the Australian Government should take a stronger coordination role.

Sustainable waste management across Australia requires the resolution of a range of complex issues faced by the industry.

The Australian Government has a critical role to play in addressing matters that cannot readily be tackled by any State acting alone to achieve coherent, efficient and environmentally responsible approaches for solid waste management.

The South Australian Government submission is available as #36.

The paper presents general information on Energy from Waste processes and national and international experiences, asking questions relating to the role of Energy from Waste within South Australia more broadly.

The paper is the focus of the first stage of targeted consultation with industry and peak bodies which will help scope a draft regulatory framework for energy from waste.

Wider community views will be sought in a further, dedicated consultation process to understand community needs when such proposals are being assessed.

The discussion paper is available under the heading, Development of policy guidance for Energy from Waste facilities.

The introduction of mass balance reporting regulations is supported by amendments being proposed for the Environment Protection Act 1993.

An Explanatory Paper setting out previous consultation outcomes, the proposed new reporting system and associated record-keeping, weighbridge, video monitoring and site survey requirements was released for consultation from 15 September–31 October, with extensions granted.

Submissions received are now to be reviewed and will be used to help inform finalisation of the system for consideration by the state government and the subsequent presentation of regulations to amend the Environment Protection Regulations 2009 to Parliament.

The Explanatory Paper is available under the heading, Introduction of mass balance reporting.

The Governor granted assent to the new law on 14 November and it came into operation from 28 November.

Implementation of this Amendment Act will result in modernised and strengthened powers under the Environment Protection Act to:

• better support a strong, legitimate resource recovery sector through enabling better regulation of waste material flow and stockpiling, providing for the assessment of resource recovery proposals, enabling further clarity around when material is or is not ‘waste’ and enhancing compliance powers

• The ability to expiate licence condition breaches and new default penalties for breach of reporting deadline licence conditions

• improve the EPA’s ability to prosecute illegal dumping cases by addressing car owners’ responsibility for illegal dumping, enabling tracking device use, expanding authorised officer powers to enter certain premises and mark materials that are likely to be illegally dumped, and allowing for improved monitoring of material.

Further information about the Amendment Act is available under the heading, Amendment of the Environment Protection Act 1993 – the Waste Reform Bill.

The EPA had successfully appealed a 2015 ruling of the Environment Resources and Development (ERD) Court that found Adelaide Resource Recovery (ARR) had not breached its licence by storing construction and demolition waste in an area that was not covered at its Hanson Road, Dry Creek site.

The Full Court found ARR had breached is EPA licence and sent the matter back to the Environment Resources and Development Court.  

EPA’s Acting Chief Executive Peter Dolan said the decision handed down from the High Court reinforces the EPA’s regulatory approach to licensing and regulation of waste.

“The decision provides certainty for the EPA and waste industry on the definition of waste and ensures a consistent approach for managing waste across the industry to allow for an even playing field,” Mr Dolan said.

“The EPA regulates the management of waste to ensure the environment and community are protected.

“We are committed to establishing effective regulatory settings to support the sustainable operations of the waste and resource recovery industry.

“We also recognise the economic benefits of the resource recovery sector which turns over about a $1 billion per year and we are committed to establishing a robust regulatory environment to support the sustainable operation of the waste and resource,” he said.

Presiding Member of the EPA Board, Linda Bowes encouraged attendees to discuss ways that the EPA can better harness the community’s interest in the environment, particularly through the use of technology and data collection.

Attendees were also updated on initiatives developed over the past year as a result of feedback from the previous forum.

Key achievements focused on the EPA’s increased commitment to face-to-face community engagement activities, including the adoption of a Partnerships and Engagement Framework as well as implementing initiatives such as the Dob in a Litterer program, to make best use of resources and capabilities.

Dr Philip Roetman – a research fellow at the University of South Australia’s school of Natural and Build Environments delivered the keynote speech and provided his insights into citizen science programs.

EPA’s Acting Chief Executive Peter Dolan said the indoor vapour testing was undertaken to better understand the potential risk to residents.

“We contacted the 17 impacted property owners and residents to seek permission to test indoor air and subflooring.

“Of those impacted, we received permission to test eight properties. Three of these properties measured no TCE in indoor air and are considered safe. Five of the properties measured are within the ‘Intervention’ category of the indoor air level response range.

“Property owners for a further six properties have since provided permission for testing and this is underway.

“The EPA and Renewal SA are now working with these residents to design solutions that will reduce the TCE vapour to safe levels,” Mr Dolan said.

The initial soil vapour testing carried out between May and August 2017 indicated high concentrations of TCE at 1m below ground level in the vicinity of a small number of properties, including commercial sites, within the assessment area boundary.

The EPA has been liaising with residents throughout the process.

Environmental assessment activities in the area are part of a prioritised program to investigate orphan sites where the EPA has enough information about historical contamination to call for assessments to determine if there is a potential health risk.

The mitigation systems were installed to reduce concentrations of the potentially carcinogenic compound trichloroethene (TCE) within in indoor air to safe levels (<2 µg/m3­).

EPA’s Civil and Environmental Engineer, Mitch Tablot, who managed the VMS project, said the systems were installed in late 2016 at two residential properties in the suburb of Beverley at which indoor air concentrations of TCE were found to be in excess of 20 µg/m3.

“Since the time of installation the EPA has validated the effectiveness of the systems through periodic monitoring and demonstrated that effective and consistent reductions of indoor air TCE have been achieved.

“Vapour mitigation systems have been used extensively in the United States for the management of naturally occurring radon gas, however the technology was believed to have been relatively untested in Australia – until now,” he said.

Mitigation systems are also planned to be installed at a number of residential properties in the suburb of Thebarton.

PFAS are chemicals of increasing concern in Australia, and internationally – with particular focus on PFOS and PFOA.

The development of a PFAS NEMP, under the Heads of EPAs Australia and New Zealand (HEPA), is a positive step to ensure consistent guidance and standards are in place to respond to PFAS contamination.

HEPA plays an integral role in bringing together like challenges from across jurisdictions, with the NEMP highlighting the importance of HEPA’s function.

In South Australia the EPA is approaching the management of PFAS in a number of ways, including enhancing our community information and engagement.

The EPA has commenced consultation to ban the use of fire-fighting foams containing PFOS and PFOA.

As part of the consultation on the ban, we have also been working with parties to transition to alternative fire-fighting foams in the short-term which do not contain PFAS or PFOA.

EPA Manager Site Contamination, Andrew Pruszinski said the South Australian Government’s $7.8 million investment over four years to manage the legacy of orphan sites recognises the importance on dealing with historical site contamination.

“This funding commitment announced in 2016 means the EPA can now undertake assessment work at orphan sites where it believes there is a potential and significant public health risk to the community.

“An EPA assessment area is established where information on site contamination identifies the need for assessment within a large area.

“This will typically be in situations when site contamination has extended outside the boundaries of a site and a responsible party has not been identified or does not exist,” he said.

The EPA to date has undertaken multiple large-scale assessment programs across metropolitan Adelaide.

“We continually update our technologies and approaches and use multiple methods of assessment,” he said.

“Through our learnings we have found the importance of understanding site history, activities and locations of all potential sources.

“Multiple lines of evidence are required including collection of field data and use of characterisation technologies,” Mr Pruszinski said.

Mr Pruszinski said that while working on the assessments activities, the need to keep the community informed through engagement is critical.

“We have a significant focus on proactive community engagement to ensure all affected owners and occupiers are notified throughout the process – from the assessments to remediation works,” he said.

“We continually adapt our work and technologies, aiming for best-practice in site contamination assessment and providing leadership in this area,” Mr Pruszinski said.

Adelaide’s beaches are considered safe and healthy for the majority of the time, however discolouration of these waters may occur after heavy rain activity.

The majority of all metropolitan stormwater flows to the sea through the stormwater system, as well as river and drainage channels, making some metropolitan beaches unsuitable for swimming for several days.

It is advised that swimming at beaches during these times should be avoided as discoloured water can reduce visibility and cause mild illness.

The EPA sources real-time stormwater flow data from Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges to informs beachgoers when stormwater is being discharged into the marine waters near the metropolitan beaches, or when there has been a managed flow.

When either of the measurements exceed certain levels, the EPA is notified as there is a possibility that beach water quality could be impacted.

Beachgoers are also encouraged to look for signs at the beach near the local surf life-saving club to help identify areas where the water may be discoloured.

Beaches that are monitored along Adelaide’s metropolitan coastline span from Semaphore in the north to Noarlunga in the south.

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The Association’s membership includes land owners, property developers, consultants, scientists, government and the legal profession.

The presentation was delivered to provide guidance, tips and case studies to help industry better understand and meet their responsibilities to the community where land or groundwater has been identified to be contaminated.

Ms Hudson said the presentation included the ‘why’ and ‘how’ to engage based on the methods employed by the EPA, and on international principles. 

“Like all industrialised cities, Adelaide and South Australian regional centres are confronted with managing or remediating historical site contamination. The scope of the community engagement plan should be directly proportionate to the size and nature of the extent of the contamination,” she said.

“There is a legislative requirement in South Australia for the EPA to be notified when there has been a detection of groundwater contamination on a site. The EPA administers and enforces the Environment Protection Act 1993 to ensure responsible parties undertake this work appropriately.

“The EPA expects that the person who has liability for site contamination will undertake or fund a communication and engagement program.

“When contamination has been identified, there should be a two-way conversation between decision makers and the people those decisions affect,” she said.

“Engaging effectively and early with the community is key to building trusted and informed relationships,” she said. 

Brad Williams from Flinders Power also presented at the forum, sharing information on lessons learned to enhance its community engagement strategy.

EPA Manager Site Contamination Andrew Pruszinski, said the event provides EPA accredited site contamination auditors with an opportunity to network with their peers and meet directly with EPA staff.

“We are pleased with the commitment and attendance to the event and consider this one of the important opportunities for our accredited auditors.

“As well as providing important regulatory and legislative updates, there is great opportunity to workshop challenges,” he said.

EPA auditors must comply with relevant provisions of the Environment Protection Act 1993 and Environment Protection Regulations 2009. They are also required to comply with EPA guidelines in regard to the manner and carrying out of an audit, and in the setting out of audit findings in audit reports.

The heads of the EPA and Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) came together to sign the agreement of intent.

The purpose of the statement sets out the general principles for consultation and communication on matters of regulatory or mutual interest.

The statement will also facilitate coordination of regulatory and policy activities relating to Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR).

The EPA and DEWNR have complementary functions in the regulatory area for Managed Aquifer Recharge.

Under this statement MAR is defined as the process of intentionally recharging water into an aquifer for the purpose of storage for human use or environmental benefit.

The winery opened prior to the 2015 vintage after more than a decade of planning and adds to existing vineyards in the Piccadilly Valley, Clare Valley and Coonawarra.

Now part of Accolade Wines, the winery has a maximum grape crush capacity of 2000 tonnes per annum. The winery crushes and process grapes sourced from the site and the other regions to produce white, red and sparkling wines. An in-situ bottling line allows wine stored in tanks and barrels to be bottled and labelled on site, then packaged and stored prior to distribution.

 EPA’s Peter Dolan Director Regulation said the facility incorporates cleaner production strategies with best practice waste management methods in its design.

 "The purpose built facility minimises the quantity of wastewater generated. The wastewater management system has been designed to produce high quality reclaimed water primarily for the purpose of irrigation re-use on vineyards and other plantings established on the 31 hectare winery site, where they are now reclaiming up to four mega litres of water per year,” Mr Dolan said.

“Petaluma in Woodside is a very well-managed facility with many processes in place to ensure environmental impact is minimised.

 “The considered planning to reduce harm on its surrounds while also supporting sustainable practices is demonstrated in its operations,” he said.

Petaluma winemaker Mike Mudge said working from a greenfield site has allowed Petaluma’s wastewater system to be designed with operational simplicity whilst being able to meet all wastewater variations.

“In doing so this has ensured all regulatory requirements and environmental expectations are met,” he said.

“The company also seeks to invest in the natural environment to ensure a sustainable future for winemaking in the three key regions. This includes planting native vegetation off set areas, with an initial budget of $5,000, then an annual maintenance of $2,000 per year,” Mr Mudge said.

Petaluma was for many years a driver in the rehabilitation of Cox Creek which ran past its old winery, and also the previous cellar door at the Bridgewater Mill.

Phone and email contact details will remain unchanged as will the EPA’s postal address.

More information can be found on the EPA website.

After 6 years of dedicated service, Professor Rob Fowler has recently vacated his EPA Board position. Prof Fowler was involved in many areas of the EPA Board including working groups and subcommittees including the Planning and Review Committee, Finance Committee and Site Contamination Review Committee.

Incoming members, Dr Stephen Christley and Catherine Cooper commenced their new roles in August 2017.

Dr Christley was formerly the Chief Public Health Officer with SA Health. He has extensive experience in medicine, public health and business planning with experience on numerous Boards and Executive roles while Ms Cooper also brings significant expertise in law and ethics, corporate services, local government, risk management and governance.

The EPA thanks Dr Fowler for his significant contribution to the EPA Board since his appointment in 2011 and welcomes its incoming members.

EPA’s Chief Executive Tony Circelli says the planning process has been comprehensive and includes a refreshed set of our ‘ways of working’ values and behaviours.

“Our mandate is for a better environment for the well-being and prosperity of all South Australians.

“Our long-term environmental goals of good quality land, water and air, as well as safe use of radiation, protection from unacceptable noise and sustainable use of resources, are what we seek to achieve.

“We will do this through a variety of ways including informing and actively engaging with communities, industry and across government to find innovative solutions to emerging environmental challenges,” Mr Circelli said.

Mr Circelli said the EPA will continue to build on its achievements from the previous year.

“We have delivered significant successes over the past year and will continue to enhance our capabilities and become more agile.

“Over the past 12 months we worked with the LGA to implement the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016, launched the Dob in a Litterer app and website, launched our EPA Partnership and Engagement Framework, developed the Environment Protection Amendment Bill, welcomed Supreme Court decisions on effective regulation of stockpiled material as waste, and celebrated a milestone – 40 years of South Australia pioneering the Container Deposit Scheme,” he said.

“We are constantly adapting to a changing economic and social environment. The EPA facilitates development, in a way that is sustainable – long lasting – and works in partnership with business to grow the economy while also protecting our state’s reputation for being clean and green.

“As a society we are moving away from polluting activities towards cleaner production processes. The EPA is working to ensure we engage with business, industry and government to support innovation and growth during this economic transition to collectively drive change,” Mr Circelli said.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli says the ideas and improvements in the Bill have come from a sustained 3-year engagement program.

“This has involved a coordinated consultative program with the waste and resource recovery sector, the broader community and quite a bit of work has been done across government including a scope setting Waste Summit in early 2015, and a broad discussion paper in late 2015,” Mr Circelli said.

“The reforms have very much been defined and justified in terms of improving the broader public value we offer to the community as a regulator.

“We are pleased to see that the Bill has been tabled in Parliament and due for debate this calendar year. It aims to modernise and strengthen powers available under the Environment Protection Act to better support a strong, legitimate resource recovery sector, as well as, making it easier for the EPA to prosecute illegal dumping cases.

 “In particular, the Bill proposes to expand the scope of EPA’s powers, so that EPA can act in waste matters, at any time, to ensure the sustainable movement of materials at resource recovery facilities, without the need to demonstrate an environmental impact. 

“It also introduces the latest national best practice around financial assurances to strengthen the ability to ensure future failures and liabilities are financially covered upfront,” he said.

The Bill and its second reading speech is available on the SA Parliament website.

Engagement with the industry to date has identified the next suite of potential reforms to further promote industry certainty and achieve robust regulation that better supports a more level playing field as well as a healthy environment. 

Listening to stakeholders, the state government has already taken initial actions towards improving certainty, innovation and growth in the sector and the broader green economy, including introduction of the Environment Protection (Waste Reform) Amendment Bill 2017 into Parliament.

As the next legislative step, the EPA has developed a proposed mass balance reporting system. Such reporting is a necessary tool for effectively identifying and responding to key issues and its establishment is supported as a high priority within the industry.

The proposed system would require waste facilities, including transfer stations, resource recovery facilities and waste disposal depots, which receive 5,000 tonnes or more of waste per annum to report on the monthly tonnages of materials that the site receives, stockpiles, uses onsite or transfers from the site for sale or disposal. 

The proposal also sets out associated record-keeping, weighbridge, video monitoring and site survey requirements.

Building on previous engagement, the EPA is seeking views on the proposed system as set out in the Mass Balance Reporting Explanatory Paper.

Situated on the banks of the River Torrens in Thebarton, the brewery is the state's largest with around 110 staff producing over 60% of South Australia's beer sales with brands such as West End, Southwark and Hahn.

Joining Lion's Australian portfolio in 1993 —the brewery is becoming part of the largest beverage operation in Australasia. It has demonstrated a commitment to improving its environmental performance and is now operating at a best practice industry standard. 

In November 2016, the South Australian Brewing company unveiled a $70-million investment, with the upgrade providing the brewery with the flexibility and versatility to produce about 120 m litres of beer every year.

EPA Keith Baldry Director Science and Information said the South Australian Brewing Company has undertaken significant change over recent years and is committed to delivering environmental benefits through its improved practices.

"Licensed by the EPA since 1995 the company has positively responded to its environmental responsibility. We have worked closely with the South Australian Brewery Company, initially as part of an environment protection program (EIP), and have seen substantial change to its production practices.

“The benefits of the initiatives across the site include storage and handling improvements to reduce wastewater from cleaning, reducing filling losses to prevent product entering the sewer and most recently, to reduced odour emission released by kettle steam during the brew process.

“In preparation for the nearby high density Bowden development the South Australian Brewing Company engaged early with the EPA to prevent any interface issues with its activities. A voluntary EIP was implemented to address brew kettle odours in 2014. The EPA required odour compliance at the nearest proposed sensitive receptor, taking into account the high rise development.

“In late 2015 the EPA inspected the new brew kettle system installed and confirmed compliance with the EIP. The kettle is a closed energy recovery system has no atmospheric emissions,” Mr Baldry said.

Lion’s Engineering Reliability Manager Jensen Jackson said it has modernised processes across the whole brewery to ensure reduced impact on the environment due to more efficient use of resources – from large-scale projects to administrate tasks and site campaigns.

“As part of the site improvements, we have upgraded both our stormwater diversion and waste water system to ensure greater control of our process. In addition to this, we are continually training our staff on spill management and environmental awareness. This has a great impact on the cultural change on site especially around recycling.

“We now separate most of our waste and send for recycling. This has resulted in a 60 per cent reduction to what the site sends to landfill per year.

“One of our more recent initiatives under the EIP was to install a vapour condenser on our new kettle in the brew house. The condenser captures and reuses lost energy. Another positive effect of installing the condenser is the reduction in odour from the vapour that would previously have been released into the atmosphere,” Mr Jackson said.

Currently employing more than 500 people in South Australia, Lion is an important part of the state’s agricultural, retail, hospitality and tourism industries – making an estimated $299 million contribution to the state economy every year.

The EPA has completed a review of more than 100 assessment reports on seven different source sites of groundwater contamination.

A range of historical land uses in the area has contaminated the groundwater with source sites affecting areas across Edwardstown, South Plympton, Plympton Park, Park Holme, Ascot Park and Melrose Park.

The EPA has been in contact with local residents about the consultation and advises that groundwater should not be used for any purpose. Mains water and water from a rainwater tank is not affected by this issue.

The establishment of a groundwater prohibition area, where no groundwater can be legally extracted, can eliminate the pathway between the contaminated groundwater and human contact.

The first groundwater prohibition area in South Australia was established in Allenby Gardens/Flinders Park in June 2013 after a 90-day community consultation process.

The prohibition for Allenby Gardens/Flinders Park means groundwater from the first and second quaternary aquifers (0–30 m below the ground surface) is prohibited to be used for any purpose.

Those who do not comply with the prohibition could face a maximum penalty of $8,000.

More information about the community information sessions and the proposed groundwater prohibition area.

A 36 year-old Adelaide man was prosecuted by Playford City Council after two witnesses saw him dispose of litter from two wheelie bins full of beverage containers, packaging, garden cuttings and clippings onto reserve land in Elizabeth Downs in March.

He was fined $1,200. The maximum penalty for this offence for this type of littering is a fine of $5,000.

The introduction of the legislation was driven by the State Government determined to improve nuisance and litter management in South Australia.

The Aquatic Ecosystem Condition Reports (AECR) are part of the EPA’s monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) program that provides water quality assessments annually from designated areas throughout South Australia which is measured on a six-level scale ranging from “very poor” to “excellent”.

The most recent report is based on monitoring data collected during 2016.

The EPA monitors South Australian waterways (creeks, rivers and marine) to assess their condition and provide information that can be used to guide water quality management decisions.

A range of sites were monitored across South Australia during 2016, covering marine waters in the Southern Spencer Gulf and inland surface waters in the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resource Management Region.

The conditions of the 38 creek and river sites in Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges during 2016 showed a slight improvement from the 2015 AECRs results, likely due to variations in rainfall.

The condition of the six marine ‘bio units’ in Southern Spencer Gulf during 2016 ranged from Fair to Very Good, which are very similar to the 2010 AECRs results in Southern Spencer Gulf.

The AECRs explain observed condition based on measured data as well as known environmental risks, which provides context when interpreting the results.

The EPA aquatic program involves the cyclical annual monitoring of one of five South Australian marine bioregions and one of eight Natural Resource Management regions for creeks, rivers and lakes.

This is the 7th year that AECRs have been released.

More information about the program and the latest water quality reports are available on the EPA website.

Originally produced in 2005 the code has been amended to incorporate new EPA legislation, and restructured to reflect operational practices of industry.

Several stages of consultation were undertaken during the review and the changes were supported by the stakeholders, including all licensed oyster farmers, SAOGA, key state government agencies such as PIRSA and DEWNR, local councils and a number of non-government organisations.

The code provides a tool to assist industry to meet the requirements of EPA legislation by identifying potential environmental issues associated with oysters farming and providing management strategies to address these issues.

It does this by specifying mandatory requirements that must be complied with, and best environmental practices that are generally outcome-based, to encourage growers to drive beyond compliance and more sustainable operations.

The delegation is the first specific strategy under the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Shandong Environment Protection Department and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, the EPA and Green Industries SA.

The MoU will provide the initial foundation for ongoing cooperation between the jurisdictions on environmental and water opportunities.

The EPA provided information sessions to the delegation about EPA’s independent regulatory framework, waste and air quality regulations, as well as water recovery and reuse projects in South Australia.

More than a tonne of asbestos contaminated materials was found packaged and labelled in scrub land between May and July, with 900 kg found in the nature strip at the intersection of Kokoda and Goolwa Roads at Mosquito Hill and a further 160 kg at Willunga Hill.

The EPA attended the sites and transported the bags to an accredited asbestos landfill for examination and disposal. The sites were inspected and cleared of any further asbestos material.

The packaging in both instances is identical, with 'asbestos waste' printed on the plastic bags and sealed with grey adhesive duct tape. EPA Manager Investigations and Tactical Support Stephen Barry said that the type of material found and the way in which the bags were packaged suggests there is involvement of a professional asbestos removalist.  

"Someone is being paid to transport and dispose of this material and all contractors should ask for receipts to ensure that the material is received at licensed landfills,” he said.

The EPA is continuing to investigate these incidents and has called on public assistance in relation to these cases, urging anyone with information to contact the EPA.

“Asbestos is an extremely dangerous material particularly if asbestos dust and fibres are inhaled or handled incorrectly. To carelessly dump this material in a public area not only creates an environmental hazard but also poses a significant health risk," Mr Barry said. 

The EPA can be contacted 24 hours on 8204 2004 or by email. People who dump waste illegally could be fined up to $120,000 and face up to 2 years imprisonment. If the dumped waste causes environmental harm the penalty increases to $500,000 and 4 years imprisonment. Corporations face higher fines, of up to $250,000 to $2 million.  

The EPA has a presence at Science Alive each year to raise awareness in the community on how the we use science based evidence for our decisions and advice as South Australia's independent environment protection regulator.

This year’s EPA display included a range of interactive activities with the live air quality data, noise monitoring, nasal ranger and odour testing capturing the interest of attendees.

The three-day event attracts around 30,000 visitors each year.

This new tool provides the benefit of viewing EPA licences on a map as well as being able to view additional information and the licence document on the Public Register.

EPA Principal Advisor Tony Williams will be on site each fortnight in the Gawler Place offices of the Small Business Commissioner to provide valuable one on one advice on licensing requirements and compliance with the Environment Protection Act 1993, and the benefits of being a clean and green business.

This service supports the EPA’s focus on small and medium enterprises by providing guidance on compliance and fostering innovative practices.

Tony is currently available every second Thursday afternoon from 1–4.30 pm during September 2017.

Bookings can be made via the SASBC website.

The panellists for the annual fundraiser also included Jenny Paradiso of Suntrix - winner of the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year Award 2017, Mark Parnell MLC and South Australian farmer John McFarlane.

The event set a challenge for panellists to determine policy as well as mining and business implications for a hypothetical scenario around energy management in the year 2030.

The EDO is a Community Legal Centre specialising in public interest environmental law.

This replaces the previous Public Register for environmental authorisations, applications and orders and improves access to information.

The updated Register also:

• Provides up-to-date information (made ‘live’ within 24 hours of issuing a new or updated authorisation), whereas previously this information was only updated quarterly.
• Enhances search functionality.
• Provides better access to historical information, previously not available via the online register.

This is a move towards a fully integrated online Public Register to improve transparency and accessibility of our information.

The EPA Public Register is accessible via the website.

The contamination is believed to come from historical industrial land uses such as refrigeration manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, cabinet making, boot making and a drapery.

The works being undertaken at Unley are to determine whether soil vapour contamination exists in the area, and whether additional assessment works are required.  These works have been undertaken in road verges and public land. The results will be used to inform a computer model that predicts indoor air concentrations.

The installation of 22 small temporary bores containing soil vapour samplers has commenced.

Results for the Unley environmental assessment activity are expected to be analysed and communicated to residents during July 2017.

The other orphan site assessment areas where the EPA has been undertaking works to determine how seasonal variation affects soil vapour are in Hendon, South-Eastern Edwardstown, Glenelg East and Beverley.

The EPA meets regularly with the Beverly community working group to share and provide information on the program.

While not an orphan site, the EPA has also undertaken soil vapour testing at the former Kelvinator site at Keswick and the adjacent land off-site.

This testing follows previous assessments on the properties that were historically owned by Kelvinator and public land along Day Avenue, the eastern end of Everard Avenue (between Kent Road and Anzac Highway) and the southern end of Ashford Road.

The previous testing resulted in further investigations being carried out to determine whether there was a risk from soil vapour intrusion coming from the groundwater.

The EPA is satisfied that the results from the latest testing found no detection of TCE in soil vapour in any residential areas. Only low levels of TCE were found in soil vapour in the area of the industrial source site, however this detection does not impact on any residential properties.

Residents are advised that while no TCE in soil vapour was detected, bore water should not be used for any purpose.

More information is available on the EPA website.

The ban looks specifically at perflourooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA), and chemicals that degrade to PFOS or PFOA.

The EPA considers banning the use of these fire-fighting foams appropriate to prevent any potential future environmental harm.

The session was attended by 39 stakeholders from across industry, government and the community.

The main topics raised at the session included efficiency of the replacement foams implementation investment costs for industry if a more efficient fluorine free alternative is imminent and the lack of viable disposal pathways.

Safety issues were also raised as a consideration in the decision-making process.

The EPA will release a report on the submissions and responses within the coming months.

Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act

The Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 came into effect on 1 July, giving councils more powers to resolve local issues.

The Act will help provide the community greater clarity of state and local government roles and responsibilities in relation to local nuisance matters such as noise, smoke and dust as well as resolve local nuisance and litter complaints more efficiently.

More serious offences will continue to be referred to the EPA.

The littering components of the legislation became operational from 1 February 2017 and the local nuisance provisions came in to effect from 1 July 2017.

Considered consultation with key stakeholders and local government has occurred during the past three years to ensure a practical transition.

The new Act contains important reforms that will significantly improve the way local nuisance complaints are managed.

The EPA has delivered operational training to staff across 61 councils for the litter and nuisance components of the Act and will continue to provide ongoing support to councils through sharing expertise, use of modern tactical surveillance methods, and evidence collection.

Asbestos waste levy removed

The State Government has announced the removal of the levy for the disposal of packaged asbestos waste which commenced on 1 July, 2017.

As part of the 2016-17 Budget measures, the solid waste levy applying to the disposal of packaged asbestos waste was initially reduced by half from 1 September 2016 to $31 per tonne for metropolitan asbestos waste and $15.50 for non‑metropolitan asbestos waste.

The new initiative to reduce the levy to $0 for disposal of asbestos is part of a series of reforms to improve safe waste management and promote recycling.

The individual facility operator’s fee will still apply.

South Australian residents who have asbestos to dispose of should first contact their local transfer or waste depot for advice on specific disposal requirements.

There are already significant penalties in place for the illegal dumping of waste - individuals face fines of up to $120,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment, and corporations face fines of up to $250,000.

More information on the safe handling, management and disposal of asbestos is available on the EPA Guideline, Wastes Containing Asbestos – removal, transport and disposal or at the asbestos website.

It is estimated that about 14 per cent of households in South Australia use wood as their main source of energy for heating, however solid fuel heaters can become a serious environmental nuisance for neighbours and a major source of air pollution if not designed or operated correctly.

Solid fuel heaters sold and installed in South Australia must comply with Australian Standards.

Solid fuel heaters cannot emit visible smoke through a flue or chimney for more than 10 consecutive minutes.

The EPA’s Burn Better For Good brochure provides information on how to ensure domestic wood heaters are operated efficiently and not emitting excessive smoke.

Tips for reducing smoke pollution include:

• Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Never burn rubbish, driftwood, painted or treated wood.
• Wood should be stored under a roof to keep it dry and in a ventilated area.
• Use a kindling wood, paper or firelighters to start the fire and add larger pieces of wood when a bed of red-hot coals is established.
• Don’t over-fill the heater with wood or leave burning and smouldering as this can produce up to 10 times more smoke than a brightly burning fire.

 Concerns about excessive domestic smoke should be reported to local council.

More information about reducing wood smoke can be found on the EPA website.

Established in 1966, Mills Freightlines took ownership of Clare Valley Waste in 2007. Since then the business has developed, and its focus is clear – ‘zero waste’ by investing in recycling for the benefit of the future.

Its initial waste operations focused on the Main Street site at Brinkworth – a small-scale paper and cardboard bailing operation.  In 2014, Mills purchased an additional property at Condowie Plains Road and developed it into a fully enclosed transfer station. 

The Clare Valley Waste Resource Recovery Facility is a large shed used in part to store and segregate waste as well as fertiliser. The facility also has a trommel to screen and separate waste. 

The advantages for local councils and residents have been significant as the recycling facility is able to process kerbside recyclables collected by the Mid North councils. In addition it can receive commercial and industrial waste, and green waste.

The focus of its recycling operation has remained cardboard and newsprint with Mills Freightlines achieving a high level of resource recovery and keeping transport costs to a minimum.  

In 2017 Mills Freightlines added the green waste stream to the Condowie Plains site to better service the regional areas. The increased recycling capacity means an additional 700 tonnes of material will be diverted from landfill each year – up by 200 tonnes of green organics, 300 tonnes hard waste and 200 tonnes kerbside recycling.

EPA’s Kathryn Bellette Director Regulatory Strategy and Assessment said this is a well-placed boutique operation which benefits the regional community.

“Their innovative approach to business operations has provided significant benefit to the environment and to the community. Green organics are dried to reduce the weight and volume for transport from the Brinkworth plant for processing into valuable compost,” Ms Bellette said.

“They have an exemplary compliance history for their sites and continually strive to recover more from waste.”

Clare Valley facility has 21 staff onsite while its parent company Mills Freightlines employs an additional 15 people.

Clare Valley Waste Manager Josh Zappone said the company is committed to its business. 

“We are very passionate about the recycling business and want to support local people and country councils manage waste sustainably.

“We have looked to modern and innovative ways to manage the demands of waste production while also reducing our environmental footprint.

“Much of the success of this site stems from good logistics. Transport management and the use of a 100-cubic metre walking floor vehicle for waste delivery to landfill sites has effectively reduced the amount of heavy vehicles enroute to metropolitan landfill sites,” Mr Zappone said.

“We also facilitate cardboard and paper recycling in the Mid North and currently bale 2,000 tonnes of cardboard for export, diverting it from landfill. Our trommel is currently being fitted with an additional bounce conveyer that will significantly improve and expedite our cardboard and paper sorting.

“This facility has required a huge commitment and financial outlay, with efficient logistical management. We are able provide a financially viable option for local councils and businesses, and plan to do so for future generations.”

The free Dob in a Litterer app and website were launched in February 2017 and allows South Australians to report those littering from vehicles instantly via an Apple or Android phone, tablet or computer.

Issuing of fines came in to effect on 1 May 2017, following a three-month grace period to create community awareness about the program.

Since the launch of the program the EPA has received 581 reports of littering from vehicles with 165 expiations issued.

Cigarette butts contribute to almost 94% of litter thrown from vehicles.

Fines range from $210 for general litter, $500 for hazardous litter such as lit cigarettes and higher for large volumes of litter or illegal dumping.

The campaign and online tools are part of the State Government’s commitment to introduce a public litter reporting system.

Six cases have been finalised with convictions and fines – with another two individual cases at various stages in the Court process.

These prosecutions are part of the EPA's Operation Incentive - an intelligence-led operation that has identified a number of suburban retailers within Adelaide metropolitan area who have been illegally selling drinks in non-compliant containers, contravening South Australia’s container deposit legislation.

The EPA has a dedicated team responsible for regulating the CDL, under which clearly marked and authorised containers sold in South Australia can be claimed for a 10 cent refund.

The EPA initially informed retailers that the beverage containers were non-compliant and could not be sold. Further sales of the non-compliant beverages then resulted in the EPA formally taking action. Expiations were issued before the retailers were prosecuted.

Beverages covered by the provisions of the Environment Protection Act 1993 must carry an approved refund marking and be approved by the EPA before being sold or distributed for sale in South Australia.

The EPA is responsible for managing container deposit legislation under the Act, where clearly marked and authorised containers sold in South Australia, can be claimed for a 10 cent refund.

Beverage suppliers add an extra cost to their product to cover the refund which can be redeemed at South Australian collection depots when the empty container is returned for recycling.

South Australia’s container deposit scheme – the first of its type in Australia – is currently celebrating its 40th year.  

The event’s theme, ‘Standing on the Edge of Revolution’, reflects the State’s economic transition and environmental change – moving away from polluting activities towards cleaner production processes. 

The EPA Board’s Presiding Member Linda Bowes welcomed the delegates and highlighted the current global trend of technological and digital innovation.

Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Ian Hunter addressed delegates encouraging their business to look beyond the inherently wasteful traditional linear economic system of 'take, make, use and dispose.

“By adopting a ‘circular economy’ we can guide economic and environmental policy and practices into the future and allow for more innovative practices to develop,” Mr Hunter said.

“What can businesses do to move to a cleaner, low carbon and more efficient production process?  What is stopping businesses from innovating – and how can the EPA work with businesses to support innovation and growth during this economic transition,” he said.

“The EPA is there to facilitate development in a way that is sustainable, long lasting, and works in partnership with business to grow the economy while also protecting our State’s reputation for being clean and green,” he said.

Professor Tanya Monro, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation, University of South Australia provided the key note speech and discussed the need for the state’s capacity to support industry and business to become more innovative.

 The EPA also launched Volume III of the Good for Environment, Good for Business publication, highlighting case studies where SME’s have made their own contributions towards innovative practices for a more sustainable and prosperous South Australia. The innovative and forwarding thinking approach is needed for our longer term prosperity and to strengthen business sustainability into the future.

The new structure came in to effect on 22 May 2017 with a repositioning of resources to improve efficiencies.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said the change is an opportunity to refresh the organisational structure and to better deliver on strategic objectives.

“We know that community, government and industry expectations are changing and we need to ensure we are able to effectively meet these changes in to the future.

 "There has been a considered and consultative approach during this process. A refreshed structure will stimulate and bring new thinking to the EPA as well as new skills and experience to complement and strenghten those we already have.

“We will be able to more efficiently focus on prioirty areas and enable us to become more agile so that we are able to seize on upcoming opportunities in a number of areas,” Mr Circelli said.

“This includes better use of data, information and technology, innovative problem solving and regulatory approaches as well as bringing our licensed and non-licenses functions closer together and continuing our strong approach to community engagement,” he said.

Three new Directorates have been created – Regulatory Strategy and Assessment, Regulation and Science and Information. Peter Dolan and Keith Baldry will continue as directors with updated portfoloios, while the EPA welcomes a new Director to the organisation.

Kathryn Bellette has been appointed to the new role of Director Regulation Strategy and Assessment, which includes legislative and policy, regulatory, planning assessment and special operation responsibility.

Kathryn’s extensive career includes leading change in strategic planning, legislative and regulatory reform, policy, and stakeholder engagement. She has a strong background in environmental science, public policy, whole of government planning, and education. She most recently worked at Flinders University across two Faculties – Science and Engineering and Social and Behavioural Sciences.

Peter Dolan is now the Director of Regulation, with site contamination, container deposit, compliance, regional delivery, investigations as well as licensing and regulatory services within this remit.

Keith Baldry has responsibility for environmental science, knowledge and information, mining and radiation, air science and state of the environment as part of his role as Director Science and Information.

The extended Executive team also includes Suzanne Behrendt, General Manager People and Performance and Richard Jacka remains the EPA Chief Financial Officer.

The training provided a practical and theoretical approach to how the Noise EPP is applied in relation to the relevant Development Plan.

The EPA set policies and guidelines for industry and the community, and is committed to building compliance capability. This ensures officers are well trained, prepared to respond, and collaborate and manage environmental issues that safeguards wellbeing and prosperity of all South Australians.

The award was announced in March 2017 with EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli proudly supporting the achievement.

“The accreditation reinforces our commitment to creating a safe place to work. Our staff has dedicated a significant amount of time and effort over the past 18 months to achieve this accreditation,” Mr Circelli said.

“This recognition means that the EPA is better prepared to support staff, and women in particular, on issues of domestic violence,” he said.

White Ribbon Australia is part of a global movement working to end violence against women, promote gender equality and healthy relationships.

In its assessment, White Ribbon Australia highlighted the EPA’s effective leadership, resource allocation, communication, HR policy development and training to create a safer and more respectful workplace.

The accreditation is also part of the state government’s recent commitment to ensure that all South Australian Government departments achieve White Ribbon accreditation.

The program, which is in its second year and is part of the Catchment to Coast Project and is funded through the Australian Government National Landcare Programme, allows local communities to contribute to improved stormwater quality and ultimately seagrass health by taking action at the local level.

EPA Director Science, Assessment and Planning, Peter Dolan said rain gardens are water sensitive urban design features that may be used to better manage stormwater.

“The purpose of a rain garden is to improve the quality of stormwater from our streets and other hard surfaces such as car parks before it travels to our local creeks and the sea.

“Collectively rain gardens and other stormwater improvement features such as wetlands installed in catchments will contribute towards less stormwater going out to sea and improved water quality in urban waterways and Adelaide’s coastal waters.

“This will reduce pollution, and contributes to improving seagrass health benefitting our marine environment and keeping our beach water cleaner,” he said.

Stormwater that contains high loads of nutrients and sediments has been found to impact on seagrass health, water quality and sediment stability along the Adelaide coastline, and also affects recreational experiences and aesthetic values of its residents.

“Rain Garden 500 is one way people can be involved in improving water quality in our catchments and at the coast. The program also supports the Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan,” Mr Dolan said.

Groups eligible to apply include local councils, community groups, schools, sports clubs, or a group of motivated individuals can apply for funding to build a rain garden in the Adelaide metropolitan.

“Any group or individual who is interested in building a rain garden in a community space can apply for a grant through the Rain Garden 500 program, or work with their local council to install them in their street,” Mr Dolan said.

Applications for the current round of funding will close at 5 pm on Wednesday 21 June 2017.

Rain Garden 500 is a three-year grant program funded until June 2018.

The code was first published back in 2005 and has changed considerably since its implementation.

The new structure of the code will reflect the operational practices of industry rather than environmental aspects, to make it easy for farmers to identify what their particular environmental requirements are.

Key amendments made to the existing code include:

• changes to the document structure to reflect the operational practices of industry rather than environmental aspects
• updates to the code to reflect changes relating to the introduction of the Environment Protection (Noise) Policy 2007, Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010, Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015 and Environment Protection (Air Quality) Policy 2016 which have come into effect after the original code was completed
• amendments to some of the ‘musts’ to ensure they are outcome based and not prescriptive
• changes that relate to industry management practices and key environmental issues, such as the placement of baskets across rather than along the longlines, accumulation of organic waste at land-based depots (barnacles from cleaning baskets and oyster shell may result in odour issues) and recycling of oyster baskets
• removal of environmental requirements that are not legislated by the EPA, eg biosecurity, carrying capacity
• linking the Code to the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015.

The EPA is proposing to use the code for developing a checklist that will complement the environmental surveys currently undertaken with industry. The checklist can also be used by farmers to undertake their own ‘self-audit’ against EPA requirements. 

Comments are required by Friday 5 May 2017.

The Board took the opportunity to meet with members of the South East NRM Board as well as a range of stakeholders, including local government, regional licensees, forestry and community representatives.

The two-day visit also included tours of a number of key and unique licensees in the area, including Midfield Milk, Carter Holt Harvey, Kimberly-Clark Australia and Mayura Wagyu Station.

The EPA provided Bradken a deadline of February 2017 to ensure its odour emissions did not exceed ground level odour concentrations of 2 odour units in the residential area.

EPA Acting Director Operations Stephen Barry said the EPA has since received a report which includes independent verification of testing of stack emissions, as well as dispersion modelling.

“This report demonstrates that Bradken has complied with its EPA licence conditions as well as the Environment Protection (Air Quality) 2016 Policy,” Mr Barry said.

“The results were pleasing and a move towards reducing the impact of industrial operations on nearby residents which demonstrates that Bradken has put the necessary steps in place and invested in equipment to reduce the impact on the local community,” he said.

The EPA is undertaking further ground level odour assessment using a handheld instrument to gain further information on indicative odour concentrations in the surrounding residential area.

Odour has been an ongoing source of complaint from the foundry over a number of years. As a result of these complaints, the EPA required the Bradken Foundry undertake work at its premises to reduce odour.

The local community is advised that while compliance with the odour limit has been achieved, low levels of odour may still be detected intermittently.

The EPA will continue to work to ensure ongoing compliance with the odour levels and to ensure all environmental impacts on the community are resolved.

The proposed amendment will establish a ban on the use of fire-fighting foams containing perflourinated compounds (PFCs); specifically perflourooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA), and chemicals that degrade to PFOS or PFOA.

PFCs are contaminants of emerging concern in Australia and internationally. In the environment, PFCs are known to be persistent and bioaccumulative and have been shown to be toxic in some animals.

PFCs have been added to some types of fire-fighting foams to improve the foam’s ability to smother fires. There are believed to be stockpiles of fire-fighting foams containing PFCs still in use in South Australia.

The EPA considers the banning of use of these fire-fighting foams appropriate to prevent any potential future environmental harm.

The ban is proposed to apply to all use of these foams with consideration to be given during consultation as to whether the ban should extend to hand held extinguishers. Consultation will focus heavily on obtaining industry views regarding implementation elements such as timeframes for compliance, and whether the scope of the ban should apply to hand-held extinguishers.

The EPA will be holding a public information session on 3 May to discuss the proposed amendment and obtain feedback from industry and the community, including implementation considerations and the potential exemption of hand-held extinguishers.

Information and copies of the consultation document outlining the proposed amendment.The closing date for all comments is COB 5 June 2017.

The additional station will complement the network already in place around Port Augusta to monitor for dust from the former power station ash dam, following the 1 January dust event.

EPA Director Science, Assessment and Planning Peter Dolan, said data received over the past 2 months from the current Stirling North air quality monitoring station has shown dust at high levels on several days, however it has been determined that the ash dam was not the source.

“The additional collection of data will assist us better understand the current information we are receiving,” he said.

The Stirling North Primary School has been chosen as the most suitable site for the additional monitoring station.

“The local primary school is the most appropriate location as the school grounds are watered and the likelihood of any local dust issues influencing the results would be reduced,” Mr Dolan said.

“We have met with council and parents to explain what we are doing, which is to better understand data being received from the existing nearby air quality monitoring station,” he said.

It is expected the additional station will remain in place over the coming weeks.

The EPA website is updated daily with real-time monitoring data updated continuously on the EPA and Flinders Power websites.

The website also includes chemical analysis results of dust samples and copies of advice from SA Health. 

The intelligence-led operation identified a number of suburban retailers within Adelaide metropolitan area who have been illegally selling drinks in non-compliant containers, contravening South Australia’s container deposit legislation.

More than 10,000 non-approved drinks were seized as part of the operation, with 2 supermarket retailers prosecuted in the Environment Resources and Development (ERD) Court.

The owner of an independent supermarket in Kilburn, appeared in Court on 9 March 2017, in relation to contravening 2 counts under section 69B(1) of the Environment Protection Act 1993 for selling non-compliant beverage containers.

The EPA alleged that the owner was advised in 2007 of his requirements to ensure all beverage containers for sale were compliant with the Act.

In her remarks, the judge stated that the Act is to be taken seriously and that it was important people comply with it. She also noted that the owner had been made aware previously of his obligations.

He pleaded guilty to 2 charges and was fined a total of 1,020. He ordered to pay $800 in prosecution costs, in addition to the $160 for victims of crime levy. He was also ordered to forfeit the 105 non-compliant beverages.

A second conviction was also recorded with the owner of a supermarket in Croydon Park appearing before the ERD Court on 14 March 2017.

He was found guilty of 3 counts of breaching section 69B(1) of the Act for selling non-compliant drink containers.

The court convicted and fined the owner of $1,200 as well as $800 in prosecution costs and $160 victims of crime levy. A total of 380 illegal drink containers were seized and destroyed.

EPA Acting Director Operations Stephen Barry said these convictions serve as a warning to retailers and distributors that the sale of unauthorised containers is a serious offence.

“These convictions are a positive outcome. These are the first 2 of several that we expect will face court for their non-compliance.

“Retailers can face a maximum penalty for $4,000 for these offences and are reminded of their responsibilities that penalties will apply to those who do break the law,” Mr Barry said.

“Some of these retailers had previous warnings from the EPA for similar offences and have chosen not to comply with legislative requirements.

“There needs to be a level playing field for all traders and we will continue to focus on the beverage sector that are not complying,” he said.

The EPA is responsible for managing container deposit legislation where clearly marked and authorised containers sold in South Australia, can be claimed for a 10-cent refund.

Beverage suppliers add an extra cost to their product to cover the refund which can be redeemed at South Australian collection depots when the empty container is returned for recycling.

South Australia is in its 40th year for its container deposit scheme.

The seminar was well attended by consultants, industry representatives, local government and EPA staff.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli was part of a panel to discuss a decision handed down by the Full Court of the Supreme Court on 20 February 2017 about when a waste should be classified as a waste and treated as such, and when it should be considered to be a product.

The decision has reinforced the EPA’s position that a material must both be ready for use and have a clear market available before it will cease to be waste.

The panel also addressed:

• Existing legislation;
• Proposed amendments through a draft Bill that will empower the EPA to better regulate the flow of material at waste facilities, irrespective of their status as waste, including through the use of stockpile limits and, where appropriate, financial assurances; and
• The general approach that the EPA will use towards stockpiling in supporting new and innovative approaches for recovering waste involving the development of new markets or responding to the declining established markets.

The successful decisions were handed down on 20 February 2017 and reinforce the EPA’s regulatory approach to licensing and regulating waste and waste depots.

The court found that receipt of waste with the intent to process and then sell it as a product does not necessarily mean that has material has ceased to be waste.

The court judged that it will be a question of fact and degree as to when the waste has suitably changed its character and become a product, and will include the question of whether there is an economic demand for that material at that point.

This view reinforces the EPA’s approach to determining whether material has ceased to be waste or not.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said the EPA regulates the management of waste to ensure that the environment and community are protected as well as to best realise the economic and environmental benefits of resource recovery.

“Waste and resource recovery is a significant industry in South Australia, with around a $1 billion per annum turnover,” Mr Circelli said.

“Providing and enforcing clear and consistent expectations for waste management is important for supporting a more even playing field within the industry.

“The outcome should also reassure those companies who meet their environmental obligations that the EPA is committed to supporting compliant operators and providing greater confidence for industry investment in this significant sector.

“The EPA is committed to providing the right regulatory settings to help the waste and resource recovery sector stabilise, innovate and grow through a consistent enforcement approach as well as the implementation of a suite of legislative and administrative waste reforms,” he said.

The online tools have been developed as part of the ‘Dob in a Litterer’ campaign following the introduction of the litter provisions of the new Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 and allows the community to quickly report those who throw litter from their vehicles.

 EPA Director Mining, Radiation and Regulatory Support Keith Baldry said there has been strong community interest in the new tools since the campaign was launched on 1 February 2017.

“The uptake has been positive and shows that South Australians are serious about keeping their roads and communities clean,” Mr Baldry said.

“The campaign and online tools are part of the South Australian government’s commitment to introduce a public litter reporting system and encourage the community to continue its interest in the program,” he said.

The app has been downloaded 1,933 times since the launch of the campaign and more than 280 users have registered via the website.

A 3-month grace period is in place in order to increase community awareness, prior to fines being issued. During this time warning letters are being sent in lieu of fines.

A total of 260 warning letters have been issued since the program began with the majority of reports being for littering of cigarette butts with the remaining reports about general litter.

The initiative has been well supported by KESAB and Green Industries SA (GISA), and many local governments in South Australia through the EPA training programs.

The Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 is being formally introduced in stages, with the littering components of the legislation becoming operational from 1 February 2017. The local nuisance provisions will come in to effect on 1 July 2017.

In the matter of EPA v Adelaide Resource Recovery (ARR), the EPA successfully appealed a 2015 ruling of the Environment Resources and Development (ERD) Court that ARR had not breached its licence by storing construction and demolition waste in an area that was not covered at its Hanson Road, Dry Creek site.

The Supreme Court found that on the evidence, the material in the stockpiles was waste that predominantly comprised construction and demolition material and this should have been stored undercover, as required by ARR’s EPA licence.

A conviction was recorded but a second count of storing commercial and industrial waste outside was not proved.

The Court rejected ARR’s argument that the material in the stockpiles had become “product” rather than “waste”. It found that receipt of waste with the intent to process and then sell it as a product does not necessarily mean that it has material that was no longer waste and therefore no longer subject to EPA licence requirements.

The Court ruled that it will be a question of fact and degree as to when the waste has suitably changed its character and become a product which requires consideration of whether there is an economic demand and immediate market for that material.

In a another similar case, the Full Court dismissed and Adelaide City Council (ACC) appeal and upheld a decision in the ERD Court that found ACC guilty of breaching two counts of its licence by failing to cap the former Wingfield landfill by 31 October, 2012.

A landfill cap is required to prevent pollution of water, vermin access and uncontrolled release of gas and odour.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said the two cases had reinforced the EPA’s regulatory approach to licensing and regulating waste and waste depots.

“The Supreme Court rulings send a message to industry that the EPA will vigorously pursue breaches of licence conditions through the courts if necessary,” Mr Circelli said.

The session between 9 am to 9 pm was organised by the EPA, which invited people to drop-in and meet with EPA staff and others face-to-face, including SA Health, DSD (Department of State Development), Flinders Power and the City of Port Augusta.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said enquiries included questions about the actions being undertaken to address dust and odour issues in the area, following a significant dust event in early January.

“It was good to see so many people turn out to this session and discuss a variety of issues including interest in the long term rehabilitation plan for the site, as well as concerns regarding odour from the nearby Bird Lake,” Mr Circelli said.

Mr Circelli also thanked the local community and Port Augusta Council for its interest, attendance and support at the community session.

"The EPA will continue to ensure local environmental issues are addressed and that this community is kept informed,” he said.

The EPA has been engaging with the Port Augusta community extensively with individual phone calls as well as emails, meetings with residents and regular updates to its website.

Environment Minister Ian Hunter said that the EPA would undertake consultation and work with the industry to determine the best approach to implement the ban.

The initiative will make South Australia one of only two states to take such a proactive stance against these chemicals.

The ban will apply to the use of firefighting foams containing PFOS or PFOA or any other chemicals that degrade to PFOS or PFOA.

While the use of firefighting foams containing PFOS and PFOA have been largely phased out in South Australia, some stockpiles of these foams still exist.

“This measure aims to eliminate uncertainty about their future use and potential contamination risks to waterways and groundwater,” Mr Hunter said.

The Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) has stopped using firefighting foams containing PFOS and PFOA and has replaced them with effective alternatives for industrial applications that are not harmful to waterways and groundwater.

The State Government will require any existing stocks of foams containing PFOS or PFOA or chemicals that degrade to PFOS or PFOA be withdrawn from use.

The study was initiated by the EPA, and involved the installation of an air quality monitoring station in January last year, with data published on the EPA website.

The study was initiated to provide information on air quality impacts to residents in the Sellicks Beach area in addition to the monitoring required by the EPA from the operator of the nearby Sellicks Hill Quarry.

Director Mining, Radiation and Regulatory Support Keith Baldry said the monitoring program was initiated following concerns about dust levels raised by residents in 2016 and was then extended to provide more comprehensive data across the full year.

“The initial agreed monitoring period, to May 2016, was extended to the end of February 2017,” Mr Baldry said.

“This also provided monitoring for the broader region while additional monitoring was implemented at the neighbouring quarry by its owner Southern Quarries.”

During this period the EPA has been gathering data on levels of dust particles, including the smaller particles that may have health impacts, referred to as PM10 and PM2.5.

It has helped the EPA to compare the impacts on the Sellicks Beach community with those of other South Australian communities.

The EPA will provide a final completion report in April for the 12-month monitoring period that will conclude on 28 February, 2017.

“Preliminary findings have indicated that the air quality in the Sellicks Beach community is typical of that found around other South Australian coastal communities, with some occasionally elevated particle levels under certain conditions throughout the year,” Mr Baldry said.

Air quality particulate standards are set out in the Environment Protection (Air Quality) Policy 2016 averaged over 24 hours.

The EPA will continue to undertake an active regulatory role including frequent inspections and audits of the Sellicks Hill Quarry site and reviewing the quarry’s dust controls.

The scheme, which first came into effect in 1977, has made a significant contribution towards helping prevent discarded drink containers from becoming a common sight in streets, parks, beaches and waterways.

EPA Director Mining, Radiation and Regulatory Support, Keith Baldry, said the introduction of disposable drink containers in the 1970s led to a spike in the volume of litter that required an effective response to curb a growing problem.

“Soft drinks and beer were predominantly sold in refillable glass bottles that could be returned to the manufacturer for a refund,” Mr Baldry said.

“The introduction of disposable drink containers drastically changed the way most people handled their empty containers and as a consequence it became common to see soft drink and beer cans littering our streets, parks, beaches and sports venues such as the Adelaide Oval.”

In 1975 the South Australian government introduced container deposit legislation (CDL) to impose a deposit on the purchase price of a range of beverage containers and which are available for refund when the container is returned to a collection point.

“Returning cans and bottles for cash has become part of our way of life here and in 2006 the scheme was declared a Heritage Icon by the National Trust of South Australia,” Mr Baldry said.

“For more than 35 years, South Australia was the only state or territory in Australia with a container deposit scheme until 2012, when the Northern Territory Government introduced a similar scheme”.

New South Wales will introduce a similar scheme in December, with the ACT, Western Australia and Queensland also planning to follow South Australia’s lead in 2018.

“The return rates for CDL containers have remained very high at around 80 percent,” Mr Baldry said.

“This equates to 580 million empty containers that are recycled in South Australia each year, far exceeding recycling rates in other states and territories without this scheme.”

In 2003, the South Australian Government extended the scheme to cover a wide range of beverages including non-carbonated soft drinks, pure fruit juice and flavoured milk.

This latest tool which has been developed by the EPA to discourage littering, coincides with the introduction of the litter provisions of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 that came into effect from the start of this month.

The free app is available through the EPA website, Android and Apple phones and tablets. Update: this app is no longer available. You can report littering to the local council.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli said the app features photo capabilities to capture littering incidents from vehicles including the registration number.

“The Dob in a Litterer app is designed to target litter such as cigarette butts, lit cigarettes, fast food packaging and drink containers, discarded from any vehicle including trailers,” Mr Circelli said.

“Other features include drop-down-menus to identify the type, model and colour of the offending vehicle and a map to determine the exact location where the littering took place.”

Information can be dispatched immediately to be investigated by the EPA but must be lodged within 14 days of the alleged offence.

“An expiation notice will be issued to the vehicle owner if the registration details are matched and verified,” Mr Circelli said.

The expiation fee for littering varies from $210 for small amounts of general litter, and from $500 up to $1,000 for Class B hazardous litter.

Class B hazardous litter includes live cigarettes, used syringes and glass.

Cases of illegal littering involving kerbside or roadside dumping must still be reported to a local council where the incident has taken place.

The bore water summer campaign is an extension of a similar program that took place over the same period last year to increase public awareness of groundwater contamination and to remind residents to test this type of water to determine whether it is suitable for it intended use.

The precautionary measure aims to eliminate any uncertainty of the quality of water which is sourced from bores that can vary between areas in Adelaide’s suburbs and the Mount Lofty Ranges.

EPA Chief Executive, Tony Circelli said the use of untested bore water for watering vegetables, washing, or for children to play in, can pose a health risk.

“This is particularly important for residential bores which tend to be drilled to the shallowest groundwater depth where contamination is more likely to be located compared to commercial or industrial bores which are at greater depths, where contamination is less likely to occur,” Mr Circelli said.

“Our city is no different to most other industrialised cities around Australia and worldwide where groundwater contamination exists in many areas across Adelaide, especially in the suburbs or near former industrial land,” he said.

“Groundwater can have chemical contaminants from past industrial and agricultural activities and anyone in the Adelaide metropolitan area who uses groundwater for cooking, bathing, watering the garden or filling up a swimming pool, should be aware of the water quality.”

Whilst private users aren't legally required to test their groundwater, the EPA is reminding all bore users of the SA Health advice to do so regularly at least once every two years, to ensure their water is safe for its intended use.

Mains water and water from rainwater tanks are not affected by contamination and home grown fruit and vegetables are safe to consume, provided that they are not being watered with contaminated bore water.

The Australian Water Quality Centre test can test bore water for chemicals by phoning 1300 653 366.

A searchable index of identified sites with groundwater contamination is available on the EPA website.

The increased flow of water was used to dilute any potential blue-green algae in the lake, preventing any build-up in the weeks before Christmas as an essential first step in protecting the lake from summer into the autumn events season.

 Professor Chris Daniels, chair of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, said the recent trial marked the sixth year of the River Torrens Water Quality Improvement Project, which has been successful in preventing lake closures for the past four years.

He said while fresh water flows had been a major part of the project since its inception, further trialling of hydrogen peroxide as an algaecide is also planned, following a successful small scale pilot last season.

“The Torrens Lake is one of the city’s major public spaces and the backdrop for many of the major events held in Adelaide during summer and early autumn,” Prof. Daniels said.

“It’s important that we make a real effort to limit blue-green algal blooms that might result in the closure of the lake during the events season,” he said.

“And what’s really pleasing to see is that the management techniques we’ve developed through the project have been successful for the past four seasons in preventing closures due to blue-green algal blooms.”

Prof. Daniels said the River Torrens Water Quality Improvement Project had been initiated by the SA Government to address the problems of blue-green algae in Torrens Lake.

From the late 1990s until 2011, Torrens Lake was closed every year for some period over summer due to the presence of blue-green algae.

This type of algae can discolour water, form scums, produce unpleasant odours and release toxins that can be harmful to both humans and wildlife.

The River Torrens Water Quality Improvement Project was a recommendation of the Torrens Taskforce, a group of scientists and engineers asked to investigate the problems of the River Torrens.

The project was developed with the support of the Environment Protection Authority, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, SA Water and Adelaide City Council.

Further updates on the River Torrens project during summer is available.

More than 100 people took part in these sessions with most attendees coming from local government with KESAB representatives also participating.

EPA officers also attended industry events such as the KESAB awards and the Local Government Association (LGA) Annual General Meeting to discuss the Bill and broader waste reforms.

Feedback has validated that illegal dumping continues to be an issue of significant concern and support for improved powers to more effectively tackle the issue.

A summary report of issues raised during the consultation period will be prepared and shared with those who participated in the consultation with most submissions to be placed on the EPA website next year.

The AELERT Steering Committee was held in Sydney last month where EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli formally announced his retirement as Chair after three years in the role but remains a member of the Executive Committee.

“I will continue as Chair until October 2017 to facilitate the transition of AELERT’s governance and forward work priorities at which time, Mark Gifford (Chief Regulator, NSW EPA) will formally take over this role,” Mr Circelli said.

During his term as Chair AELERT experienced substantial growth to its network in addition to the development of best practice approaches in key areas such as emergency response, better regulation and communications and engagement.

“One of AELERT’s key focus areas this year was to deliver a series of cost-effective and easily accessible professional development opportunities to members while continuing to add valuable operational resources to the AELERT website,” Mr Circelli said.

Tony has also recently been appointed to the Board of CRC Care, as representative of the Heads of Environment Protection Authorities (HEPA).

CRC CARE an independent organisation which is regarded nationally and worldwide as a leading innovative research organisation that performs research, develops technologies and provides policy guidance for assessing, cleaning up and preventing contamination of soil, water and air.

This followed the identification of PFAS at Defence bases in New South Wales and Queensland where it is known to have migrated to groundwater and nearby water bodies.

The review also indicated that the Edinburgh Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base was among 16 sites across Australia that had been using fire-fighting foams containing PFAS before these substances were phased-out almost a decade ago.

The Department of Defence held two community sessions at Smithfield near its Edinburgh RAAF Base on 31 October and 1 November 2016 with approximately 40–50 people attending over the two days.

The sessions were held to provide local residents and business owners with an opportunity to discuss the environmental investigation into PFAS.

Following advice from the EPA, the Department of Defence has committed to meeting with local community farming groups and holding further meetings to update the community in early 2017.

The Department of Defence announced that a detailed environmental investigation at RAAF Base Edinburgh commenced in November to identify PFAS on, and in the vicinity of the base.

The EPA first took part in the Computer Recycling Scheme (CRS) in 2007.

EPA Director Strategy and Business Roslyn Agate said CRS has elevated South Australia to the nation’s leader in ICT e-waste management.

“This program has provided thousands of PCs from government departments including the EPA,” she said.

“It means that schools and community groups receive much-needed equipment and by extending the life of these computers, we are reducing waste going to landfill.”

CRS also runs the Special Needs Initiative that provides ICT equipment to children on a Negotiated Education Plan (NEP) in special needs schools and classes and to children in state care.

The audit was considered timely with Australia’s planned ratification of the latest tranche of chemicals listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), including pentachlorobenzene which can be emitted during the cremation process.

A review of mercury emissions from this sector was also undertaken as part of this audit because of the planned ratification of the Minamata Convention on mercury.

The audit aimed to assess compliance with EPA licence conditions for the sector and suitability of current licence conditions as well as to review the current operating methods and pollution control equipment utilised at each site.

This was done to determine whether sites would be affected by the planned ratification of the Stockholm and Minamata conventions.

The audit found:

• General compliance with EPA conditions regarding the minimisation of smoke and odour.
• All cremators designed after 2006 were operated in line with Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practice (BAT/BEP) guidance to minimise pentachlorobenzene and other POPs.
• Some, but not all, cremators designed and constructed prior to 2006 are not operating in line with this guidance for part or all of the cremation process and may be affected by the planned ratification of the latest tranche of chemicals listed in the Stockholm Convention on POPs.

The EPA will now seek to implement the audit recommendations to develop new standard EPA licence conditions for this sector and prepare position statements to better communicate the EPA’s requirements to the industry.

As the year draws to a close, I extend my warmest wishes and sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed towards enhancing our enviable South Australian lifestyle through commitment, planning and hard work to achieve more sustainable outcomes for our environment.

2017 will no doubt will bring additional challenges and opportunities.

In the meantime, I wish everyone a safe and relaxing festive season.

The EPA Communication and Media Branch wishes our readers a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and we will be back with more interesting news items in 2017.

Since the recommencement of Operation Cover-Up recently, the EPA identified many trucks in the Adelaide CBD and on metropolitan roads with uncovered loads of waste.

EPA Manager Investigations and Tactical Support, Stephen Barry said most of these vehicles had come from demolition sites and were travelling to waste depots.

“The EPA is investigating these incidents and will be issuing expiation notices for ignoring their obligations under the Environment Protection Act,” Mr Barry said.

“Failing to cover a waste load is an infringement under this legislation that carries a $160 fine,” he said.

Mr Barry said that EPA investigators have also visited demolition sites in the city to remind operators of their responsibility to ensure that trucks leaving their premises are appropriately covered.

“All loads of waste leaving a demolition site must always be covered to reduce the escape of waste and dust from vehicles especially when they are being driven through the city centre or passing by schools, shops and pedestrians,” he said.

“It’s been disappointing that in just one week our investigators discovered more than 40 trucks travelling through the city and metro areas of Adelaide with uncovered loads of waste.

“This type of waste can create a hazard for other road users and ultimately ends up in our stormwater and local waterways.”

The EPA has undertaken enforcement action to underline the importance of safely transport waste throughout South Australia and will continue to run its Operation Cover-Up taskforce on random days to ensure compliance for the protection of public health and the environment.

This new legislation was passed in State Parliament in May to enhance the ability of local government to deal with environmental nuisance, Iittering and illegal dumping, and improve community services in the areas of Iocal nuisance and litter regulation.

Regulations have been drafted to support the administration of this Act.

The EPA is seeking feedback on the following two sets of draft regulations:

• Local Nuisance and Litter Control (Amendment of Act, Schedule 1) Regulations 2016. 
• These regulations will amend Schedule 1 of the Act and will serve no further role in the administration of the legislation once the changes are affected.
• Local Nuisance and Litter Control Regulations 2016.
• These are the primary regulations that will support the administration of the Act.

Copies of the draft regulations and an explanatory report can be found on the website or can be obtained by calling the EPA on 8204 2105.

Comments on regulations under the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 are sought by 5 pm, Friday, 2 December 2016 and should be addressed to:

Local Nuisance and Litter Control Regulations
Attention: Manager – Legislation and Policy Reform
Environment Protection Authority
GPO Box 2607
Adelaide SA 5001

Email

(Mark subject line as Local Nuisance and Litter Control Regulations project)

Monica Bosco who has been appointed to this new role has worked as a regulator with the EPA since 2004 and has previous local government experience as an Environment Project Officer with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.

“My role as an EPA Senior Environment Protection Officer began at the Murray Bridge office where I was primarily involved in issues arising from the drought in 2006,” Monica said.

“Since 2007, I worked in areas of regulation and compliance by managing EPA licensed facilities involving issues of wastewater, waste management, air emissions, odour and dust.”

In Monica’s new role she will coordinate the EPA responsibilities with the implementation of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 and ensure that local government receives appropriate support and resources.

The EPA’s commitment to the implementation of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 will also involve a team of officers to deliver training, information resources and on-going support for local government in the application of the Act.

“I look forward to working closely with various councils and the Local Government Association to ensure a consistent and relevant delivery of services,” Monica said.

Monica will welcome any relevant enquiries relating to the implementation of the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016 and can be contacted directly by telephone on 8204 2053 or email.

Mr Circelli said that it also demonstrates a shared desire to work together to assist the performance of both parties' respective roles in the South Australian water and sewerage industries.

“The purpose of this statement is to set out the general principles of how ESCOSA and the EPA will consult and communicate with each other on matters of regulatory overlap or mutual interest,” Mr Circelli said.

 “ESCOSA and the EPA have complementary functions in the South Australian water and sewerage industries,” he said.

“Whilst not legally binding, the document sets out clearly that ESCOSA and EPA representatives will strive to work together effectively on co-regulatory matters.”

Tara Ingerson and Coby Mathews from the EPA aquaculture team attended a forum in Port Lincoln where waste management options for plastics was discussed and consideration for the collection and recycling of waste oyster baskets.

“This idea was initiated at the forum and recognised that this project alone could create up to four South Australian jobs and has been extended to other states including Tasmania and New South Wales,” Tara said.

Other topics discussed included:

• Recycling nets and other plastics into new products, some of which can be reused in the fishing and aquaculture industry that may also result in a new processing facility on Eyre Peninsula.
• The reuse of tuna and finfish rings as irrigation pipes, already occurring in the tuna industry.
• Processing oyster shells and barnacles that are removed from oyster baskets into new products such as poultry feed and agricultural lime fertilisers.

“These opportunities have arisen from EPA environmental surveys with the aquaculture industry by noticing the stockpiles of waste oyster baskets located in a number of land based depots,” Tara said.

This led to the EPA in conjunction with the South Australia Oyster Growers Association (SAOGA) and Regional Development Australia (RDA), to commission a feasibility study into the recycling of oyster baskets which was funded by the former Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy (DMITRE’s) Clever Green Eco-innovation Program.

“To further this study, the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management (NRM) provided funding through the National Landcare Program to investigate opportunities for other fisheries and aquaculture waste streams across Eyre Peninsula that resulted in the production of this report,” Tara said.

 “This could be a win-win situation for all involved with less waste heading into landfill, industry adopting the waste management hierarchy and the important creation of economic opportunities for regional areas.”

This will now enable them to undertake marine compliance activities and give them the authority to issue fines and expiation notices during the course of their duties, similar to Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) authorised officers.

This was identified as an effective way to optimise the use of both EPA and DEWNR resources with many of South Australia's metropolitan sanctuary zones overlapping the EPA's areas of operation.

EPA Director Science Assessment and Planning, Peter Dolan said this offers opportunities to use its resources to protect sanctuary zones by having additional eyes and ears on the water.

“Under this arrangement DEWNR will still be the Iead agency to administer the Marine Parks Act and will not necessarily oblige the EPA to apprehend or prosecute offenders in sanctuary zones,” Mr Dolan said.

“However it will provide an extended capability for this option to help further deter any activity that may pose a threat to these important South Australian marine areas.”

People who have registered their names in Recovery Centres which were established during the severe weather events in September were issued with a ‘Temporary Incident Card’, and will now be eligible for this offer.

Council waste that is also attributed to the severe weather can also benefit from this concession.

The EPA will administer the waste levy waiver under this temporary arrangement.

Heavy rain and strong winds led to flooding late last month that brought down trees and caused property damage in many locations across South Australia.

EPA Director Strategy and Business Roslyn Agate said this severe weather event resulted in a significant amount of waste including trees, building materials and metals that will require disposal at waste depots.

“The state government has offered to waive the waste levy to assist communities with the cost of waste disposal,” she said.

Organic waste can be received as green waste and will also be exempt from a levy.

Sandbags will be accepted at clean fill rates with no levy when taken to a waste depot for disposal.

This exemption will not apply to the regular gate fee charged by a waste depot.

“The EPA has contacted the councils most-affected by the recent severe weather to advise them of the waiver and outline the process they will need to follow,” Ms Agate said.

The Environment Protection Act 1993 requires the payment of a prescribed levy payable by the licence-holder of a waste depot for all waste received and disposed at that depot.

The draft Bill aims to provide the EPA with the necessary tools to improve its methods of tackling illegal dumping and ultimately achieve a series of waste reforms that provide greater certainty in the market place.

It also aims to assist companies to consider more innovative initiatives that will provide economic benefit to the state as well as their own business and promote better environmental outcomes.

The EPA has held consultation forums in Adelaide, Port Augusta, Clare, Mount Gambier, Karoonda and Wudinna with another planned for Mannum next month, where local residents are encouraged to attend.

The last meeting will be held at Mannum on 3 November. Details on this venue can also be found on Eventbrite .

More information and how to provide feedback on the draft Waste Reform Bill.

The policy reduces the impact of smoke and other air pollutants on communities across the state.

The new policy reflects current understanding of health impacts from air pollution, with the regulation and management of air quality now in line with contemporary practices.

This has not changed any previous practices for prescribed fuel reduction burning.

The key changes to the Air Quality Policy include:

• The EPA taking a ‘whole-of-air-shed’ approach to managing air quality in South Australia
• Regulating the sale and installation of wood heaters, and the sale of firewood
• Streamlining council management of burning in the open through regulation, while ensuring the ability to burn off for bushfire prevention is maintained
• Greater consideration of risk to health and the environment when setting stack emission limits.

The new policy does not require permits for burning-off outside of metropolitan Adelaide and outside of townships beyond metropolitan Adelaide, however burning-off will need to comply with CFS codes of practice to reduce the risk of bushfire.

Further, all necessary burning-off in townships and metropolitan Adelaide will be permitted by general notice or permit, at the discretion of each council. 

EPA Operations Director Science, Assessment and Planning, Peter Dolan said that red tape will be reduced for fringe metropolitan councils which under the old policy required permits for every burn undertaken in their rural areas.

“The policy does not apply where a permit has been obtained under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 (CFS permits) or where that Act requires or authorises any fuel reduction burning to occur,” he said.

More details on the Air Quality Policy 2016 are contained in the Public Consultation Report available through the EPA website.

EPA Operations Director Science, Assessment and Planning Peter Dolan said Adelaide’s beaches are considered safe and healthy but for about two percent of the time they can be impacted by rainfall or stormwater that is flushed into the sea resulting in discoloured water.

“The EPA runs a seasonal service during the daylight saving period for beachgoers to receive email notifications when the water is discoloured or murky, by subscribing to it through the EPA website,” Mr Dolan said.

“The advice for swimmers to avoid discoloured water is sent during periods of poor water quality which usually follows a major rain event,” he said.

“In summer when the rain is not as frequent, there is a build-up of material trapped in stormwater drains that when it rains, gets flushed into the sea.”

Stormwater is continuously measured near beach outflows that measures both water flow and turbidity.

“When either of the measurements exceed certain levels there is a possibility that beach water quality could be impacted,” Mr Dolan said.

“Stormwater can also reduce visibility in the water, it can smell and could cause a mild illness such as a stomach upset if ingested which is why we issue these warnings to avoid swimming in it when these incidents occur.

Generally after a heavy storm the discoloured water will take about two days to dissipate.

Beachgoers can also choose to receive advice online through Alert SA.

The beaches that are monitored along Adelaide’s metropolitan coastline span from Semaphore in the north to Noarlunga in the south.

For more information and to subscribe to this email alert service, visit the EPA website.

A total of 15 high achievers were recognised during the gala evening for their contributions as major exporters.

Mr Circelli who presented the Environmental Solutions Award said the event highlighted a mutual goal shared between the EPA and Business SA by supporting South Australian businesses to be successful and ultimately provide benefits for the state.

“The EPA has a contributing role here, by ensuring that the economic benefits and returns from businesses to South Australia are gained without consequence to the environment or affecting the wellbeing and prosperity of South Australians,” he said.

“Our role goes beyond enforcement requirements of licensed businesses and is more involved and diverse, because a good regulator, is one that also acknowledges and rewards business and industry by supporting good, clean and environmentally sustainable enterprises.”

Mr Circelli presented the Environmental Solutions Award to Sentek Technologies which was selected from of field of four entries by a judging panel.

Each one was assessed on several criteria including its relevance to the category, export growth, their financial position and an international marketing strategy.

“This year’s winner stood out for its technological applications in farming and agriculture to achieve best-practice irrigation methods, a reduction in water, fertiliser and energy use, while increasing crop yields and quality,” Mr Circelli said.

Riverland-based almond processor AlmondCo Australia took out the coveted Business SA Exporter of the Year Award.

EPA Presiding Member Linda Bowes, said Port Lincoln is a major commercial centre on Eyre Peninsula whose economy relies on agriculture, aquaculture, fishing and tourism.

“In fact, Port Lincoln is the seafood and aquaculture capital of Australia, boasting one of the largest protected natural harbours in the world that is three times the size of Sydney Harbour,” she said.

“It is home to the country’s largest commercial fishing fleet and renowned for its Southern Bluefin tuna, King George whiting, western king prawns and Southern Rock lobster.”

The EPA maintains 44 licensees in the Port Lincoln Council area.

Ms Bowes said the Board’s visit demonstrated a commitment for the EPA to work closely with industry and communities, in particular regional areas, to achieve good environmental management and economic outcomes through well-practiced regulation.

The EPA Board toured Boston Bay and viewed kingfish pens and a mussel farm.

It also took part in the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board meeting with government and industry and discussed options for future waste management in the aquaculture and fishing sector.

Their aim is to raise awareness of the River Murray Water Protection Area and provide clarity to local councils on what the EPA will consider through the planning process.

In recent months the EPA has travelled to Berri, Mannum and Strathalbyn to discuss the draft position statement with all South Australian councils along the River Murray, coinciding with a six week consultation period.

Formal submissions were received from a range of stakeholders including the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), Mid Murray, Murray Bridge and Berri Barmera councils, together with the Murraylands and Riverland Local Government Association (LGA).

During the consultation process it became evident that development plan policies, which apply in flood and fringe areas, were inconsistent between River Murray councils and raises challenges in addressing wastewater management issues in shack areas.

The EPA is continuing to work with councils, including exploring alternative strategies to effectively influence wastewater management outcomes in shack areas.

The River Murray wastewater management planning position statement and the environmental rationale are available on the EPA website.

Prior to this EPA-licensed business taking over operations at Monarto, the EPA had previously received a number of complaints for odour at the site, due to the nature of its composting activities.

EPA Chief Executive Tony Circelli who recently visited the site said that the company’s change of ownership has resulted in no complaints about the impacts of its production activities.

“This is a great outcome that should be congratulated,” Mr Circelli said.

“It is a classic case of an organisation taking its environmental responsibilities seriously and doing a great job in executing them.”

Mushroom Exchange now stockpiles long lines of compost on concrete flooring which is equipped with a temperature-controlled aeration system.

Any liquid that drains from the windrow is diverted and collected in a purpose built wastewater lagoon.

The liquid is aerated and treated so it can be reused to moisten straw bales prior to mixing with raw material for further compost production.

In addition, the site also features a purpose-built stormwater lagoon, where stormwater is collected and used to moisten feedstock.

The facility boasts minimum impacts from odour, dust and noise, due to its operations being conducted in an enclosed undercover facility.

Mushroom Exchange is the largest producer, packer and marketer of fresh mushrooms in the Southern Hemisphere.

He also outlined the 2016–17 EPA Corporate Plan which he said is providing a pathway towards a better environment for the wellbeing of all South Australians.

“In the last 12 months the EPA has engaged and worked collaboratively with the community, industry and other government agencies to deliver important initiatives and reforms,” Mr Circelli said.

“This includes making progress towards key waste reforms to improve safety in the management of waste and provide certainty to the resource recovery sector to promote growth and innovation.”

Mr Circelli said the EPA will continue to focus on providing the community and industry a robust regulatory framework that protects the environment, safeguards the community and which promotes a level playing field for industry development.

“We will further develop the capability of the EPA to improve the value of our services to South Australians,” he said.