Changes to the laws around how businesses manage their waste came into effect on 1 July 2021. Waste duties now apply to all businesses that generate, transport or receive waste.

This means if your business generates, transports or receives industrial waste, you must comply with duties on how you manage the waste and where it goes.

The Environment Protection Act 2017 (the Act) and the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 (Regulations) outline how a duty holder must classify and transport industrial waste and who can receive it.

Follow these steps to manage industrial waste under the Act and Regulations:

1. Classification: Firstly, you must properly identify and classify the waste so it’s clear what duties apply to the waste and to managing it.
2. Transportation: Secondly, you must ensure waste is safely contained during transportation and you must give the transporter enough information about the waste. Some waste types have specific containment and isolation requirements. Reportable priority waste is tracked through Waste Tracker in real-time. This means that each time it changes hands, EPA is informed.
3. Lawful place: Finally, all industrial waste must go to somewhere that’s lawfully able to receive it, this is called a lawful place. This may include for instance a place with an EPA permission, or somewhere that can accept waste for resource recovery or reuse through a Declaration of use or determination.

These steps are in addition to your obligations under the general environmental duty, which applies to all Victorians.