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Southern Dandenong

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Background


EPA Victoria (EPA) has five regional locations including a Dandenong office servicing the communities of southern metropolitan Melbourne. Contact the Dandenong office.

This region also includes the Dandenong South Industrial Zone where a range of industries are located. The precinct also generates considerable levels of industrial emissions within the City of Greater Dandenong. EPA’s role is to ensure good practice from businesses operating in the vicinity to provide the best quality environment for local residents to live in.


Latest News


Second quarter air monitoring results

In April 2011 EPA Victoria started an air monitoring program, to assess the impact of the Dandenong South industrial zone on air quality in surrounding residential areas. This air quality assessment was initiated in response to community concerns about emissions from the Dandenong South industrial 2 zone and Lyndhurst prescribed waste landfill.

Air monitoring is being conducted over a 12 month period at five residential locations surrounding the industrial zone and Taylors Road landfill. The sites are located in Bangholme, Lynbrook, Hampton Park, Doveton and Dandenong South.

The monitoring program is measuring the levels of specific air pollutants, and this report presents the second set of monitoring results from August to October 2011.

The results so far indicate the low levels being measured are not a risk to health. More than half of the 63 compounds analysed have not been detected. No new compounds were detected since the last report.

Of the 24 compounds that have been detected, 17 were well below the relevant air quality guideline value and a further seven will be assessed at the end of the 12 month monitoring program


First quarter air monitoring results

The documents below refer to the first quarter of air monitoring results released in September 2011.

 

Health Study

The Department of Health has completed a health assessment  in response to community concerns that emissions from Dandenong South and the Taylors Road (formerly known as Lyndhurst) landfill may have led to an increase in cancer and birth defects in local residents.

The executive summary and final report can be found here.External site


Air Monitoring Program

EPA has undertaken a review of historical air quality monitoring data and the major sources of industry emissions in the southern Dandenong region.

Air monitoring station The review found the air quality in Dandenong, for levels of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, small particles and ozone, is generally good and comparable to other areas of Melbourne monitored by EPA. The largest industrial emissions are from sources in the industrial precinct. In this precinct the major industrial emissions are from the group of compounds known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), followed by nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and small particles.

Air quality monitoring & assessment EPA has an air quality monitoring station in Dandenong that monitors the local air quality; however, it does not measure VOCs. Although the historical monitoring data does not show levels for concern, EPA is committed to understanding the impact of the industrial precinct on air quality. Therefore, we have now commenced an additional air monitoring program across the region to measure VOCs emitted by industry in the Dandenong South Industrial Zone.

Canisters that sample the air have been installed at five residential locations surrounding the industrial area (including the industrial 2 zone) to capture data for a 12-month period from April 2011. The program will measure 50 different VOC pollutants. This data will be used in an air quality assessment to determine the risk and likely impact on health. EPA will report the findings from this air monitoring program quarterly and this information will be available on this website.

For information on the air monitoring program, see the Air Monitoring Factsheet PDF Document (PDF 799KB)

The air monitoring study site areas

There are five areas south of Dandenong which will be monitored for Air Toxics over a 12 month period; highlighted in pink on the map available here. Click on the highlighted areas to view more detailed information about the area.


Taylors Road Landfill

The Taylors Road Landfill (formally known as the Lyndhurst Landfill) is located at 890 Taylors Road, Dandenong South. The facility accepts waste from municipal, commercial and industrial sources and is the only facility in Victoria licensed to receive a broad range of solid Prescribed Industrial Waste (PIW, often referred to as hazardous waste) classified as Category B in accordance with EPA Victoria's Industrial Waste Resource Guidelines.

EPA received a Works Approval application from SITA Australia Pty Ltd on 11 November 2010 to install a contaminated soil treatment facility. SITA has also applied to the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) for a Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) for the site External site.

This matter is currently with the Planning Minister for a decision on the planning panel's recommendation to rezone the area. EPA will complete its works approval assessment following that process. Once the decision has been made, the community and any submitters to the works approval process will be advised.

The Taylors Road Community Engagement Steering Committee (CESC) was established in April 2008 to support broad community involvement in the operation and monitoring of the Taylors Road Landfill. It has 20 members that meet approximately every six weeks.

 

Compliance Blitz

In June 2011, EPA conducted 21 licence compliance inspections in the Dandenong area and beyond in a ‘blitz’ over a period of two days. This compliance operation was developed as part of EPA's 2010/2011 Compliance Plan and contributed to over 300 inspections around the State.

The sites chosen for inspections focused on specific industries, including waste treaters and chemical works with a specific focus on the Dandenong South area. This area was chosen to complement the Health Study and air monitoring program which was underway at the time.

At least 80% of the sites inspected were found to be compliant with their licence conditions. Issues found included a lack of basic housekeeping, stormwater management issues and issues with the storage and handling of chemicals. Follow-up  action has been taken with those industries identified as non-compliant.


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