The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is set to significantly bolster its presence in the west.
A Sunshine office and a dedicated team for the region are part of the plans.
Previously the west fell under the jurisdiction of the metropolitan region, but that will soon be split, creating a region specifically for the metropolitan west.
EPA western metropolitan regional manager Steve Lansdell said that given the industrial legacy, the changes were needed.
“As a centre for heavy industry, the west has shouldered a lot of the pollution burden. EPA has recognised the need to be based with our community in the west and is even more focused than ever to improve non-compliant practices,” Mr Lansdell said.
“EPA has a bigger presence in the west with a new dedicated regional team and a new office opening in Sunshine later this year. It’s important that industry understands the community expects them not to pollute, and EPA is actively enforcing that expectation.”
It follows the Brimbank council’s calls for the state government to take a western region-wide approach to addressing legacy contamination issues impacting the people of the west.
Last month Star Weekly revealed that a number of properties in St Albans were sitting on top of buried waste and being exposed to gas leaking from the former Sunshine landfills.
An underground fire at the Kealba Landfill has been burning since October 2019, casting a “toxic” smell over the suburb, according to residents, while a number of other sites have been identified as requiring remediation.
Brimbank mayor Georgina Papafotiou said collaboration was the best way forward.
“The health and safety of our community is our key priority,” Cr Papafotiou said.
“Having all the relevant information around potentially contaminated land is a vital and important first step in responding to the legacy issues in Brimbank and Melbourne’s west.”
