The Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is to continue to assist all Agencies in clean-up and recovery efforts following the recent storms and flooding across the State.
Chief Executive of the EPA, Lee Miezis said widespread damage to homes, businesses and farms had been reported with as many as 129 homes deemed ‘damaged uninhabitable’ and a further 135 deemed ‘damaged but habitable’.
“There will be an increase in demolition waste as the recovery process moves through with a subsequent increase in construction as repairs and home rebuilds pick up,” Mr Miezis said.
“No one wants to see any further damage done to the environment or the community through poor management of that waste, so we’ll be able to assist and advise on how to dispose of it in the most appropriate way,” he said.
“Our farmers too have been hard hit with machinery and building damage as well as stock losses and, here again, EPA will assist AgVic with advice on the best way of managing those situations without creating potential further damage.”
Mr Miezis said the new Environment Protection Act 2017 came into effect yesterday, 1 July and impacted how waste disposal would be managed in general and throughout the recovery process.
He said the EPA would be on hand to assist with the changes and make sure no one was inadvertently breaching the new laws.
“We’re working closely with Bushfire Recovery Victoria, DELWP, ERR, AgVic and all Agencies to assist where we can to get the best result for the community,” Mr Miezis said.
