A dairy products company at Broadmeadows has been fined $8,060 by the County Court after pleading guilty to an EPA Victoria charge of permitting an environmental hazard.
EPA Victoria charged Fresh Cheese Co (Aust) Pty Ltd after members of the public reported a strong odour and white liquid entering Yuroke Creek at Broadmeadows.
Callers told EPA's 24-hour pollution hotline there was a "nauseating" smell like "sewage or rotting milk", and the white coloured contamination reached more than one kilometre downstream.
EPA officers confirmed the odour and traced the white liquid back through a drain to the company's premises in Riggall St, Broadmeadows. They took samples and found the liquid appeared to be leaking into the drain through a crack in concrete on the site.
Inspecting the company's waste management equipment, the officers found the liquid should have been pumped into a large holding tank for treatment and proper disposal, but the pump was not operating.
EPA called in a scientific expert to assess the potential impact on wildlife and plants in the creek. Testing showed nutrient levels in samples collected from the Fresh Cheese premises were very high, which could contribute to the growth of harmful algae and weeds in the creek.
EPA told the court concentrations of nutrients, organic matter and chemicals downstream of the drain were a hazard to aquatic life, and reduced dissolved oxygen in the creek could have led to fish deaths.
Since the leak was discovered, the company has added to the structures designed to trap any leaks and installed an automatic system designed to pump out any spilled liquid.
Judge Brookes found the company guilty and recorded a conviction.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The pollution was reported to EPA by members of the public on 6 and 7 October 2018.
Melbourne Water used booms and hay bales to trap the pollution in the creek, and had the drain cleaned and contaminated water pumped out.
Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA's 24 hour hotline on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842) or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
