When you need a permit for this activity
You must get a permission from us to conduct certain activities that have risk of harm to human health and the environment. These are called prescribed activities and are defined in Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021.
Reportable priority waste is generally hazardous by nature. This type of waste poses the greatest level of risk to human health and the environment.
Under the Regulations, you need an A16 – Supply or use of reportable priority waste permit to:
- use reportable priority waste, or
- supply it to others who have identified and demonstrated a safe and legitimate use for the waste.
An A16 permit is not suitable if you are receiving reportable priority waste for storage, processing or treatment purposes. Waste transport duties may still apply.
An A16 permit may not be suitable for multiple waste producers or waste streams. Use our permission pathway process to help you find more appropriate options.
In some situations, you can apply for an A16 permit if you're both the supplier and user of the reportable priority waste. In this case, we may apply conditions for both.
Exemptions
Under some circumstances, you can apply for a permit exemption.
Related activities
To store, treat, reprocess, contain or dispose of any reportable priority waste (transport) generated at another site, you need an A01 – Reportable priority waste management development licence and operating licence.
Information to include in your application
When you submit your application in the portal, it must include certain information and supporting evidence. To learn more, visit Apply for a permit.
If you're unsure of the type of permission you need, use our free permission pathway process before you start your application.
For this application, you must also provide:
Risk management
Provide a copy of your risk management and monitoring program, if it has been prepared.
Summary of the proposal
Provide a description of the reportable priority waste, including:
- who the waste producer is and their location (state or territory)
- who the waste receiver is and their location (state or territory)
- the process that has generated the waste – for example, aluminium smelting
- what the waste will be used for (this process must not involve further treatment of the waste)
- a high-level description of the waste reuse process
- whether it will be reused at an existing facility or will require construction of a new or upgraded facility
- the effect of the process on the waste
- an assessment of the risks and proposed control methods for the storage, handling and reuse processes.
Classification of reportable priority waste
Provide a description and evidence of:
- how much waste will be dealt with and over what period of time
- the physical form – for example, liquid, sludge, solid – and specific characteristics of the waste, including whether the waste is classified as dangerous goods by WorkSafe Victoria
- the contaminants of concern and their thresholds
- whether the waste is produced from a single and specific operation or from multiple and variable sources.
For more information, visit Classify industrial waste.
Consideration of risk of harm to human health and the environment
Provide evidence that:
- a risk assessment has been done
- the reuse process will not lead to an unacceptable risk of harm to the environment or human health.
Include:
- a process description – for example, a block flow diagram
- a mass/material balance exercise, including the amount of reportable priority waste to be used and any residues that will be generated through the process
- evidence that the waste is fit for the intended final use, purpose or product
- evidence that the hazard properties of the waste are similar to the input or raw material it is replacing
- evidence that the risks associated with the waste are similar to the input or raw material it is replacing
- evidence that no additional environmental management controls are required.
For liquid waste, you should consider additional environmental management controls – for example, primary and secondary containment measures. For more information, visit Storage and handling.
Approval to use incinerator bottom ash
For information about applying for an A16 permit to use incinerator bottom ash (IBA) or incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA), visit Approval to use incinerator bottom ash.
Application fee
For a list of current fees and how they're calculated, visit Fees. An extra fee may apply if we need more time than specified in the Regulations to assess your application.
If an application fee applies, we cannot assess your application until we've received and processed this fee.
How long your permit is valid for
Your permit is valid for 5 years.
How we assess your application
Find out how we assess your application and how long it takes.
Permit conditions
Permission conditions outline the legal obligations for the permission holder. They set up a framework for risk management, record keeping and reporting.
Where a condition includes:
- the word 'placeholder', values will be populated with information that's specific to your site
- a reference to a 'figure' or 'appendix', information will be populated that's specific to your site.
'Authority' means Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Other conditions may apply.
| Condition code | Description |
| PER_G01 | A copy of this permit must be kept at the activity site and be easily accessible to persons who are engaging in an activity conducted at the activity site. Information regarding the requirements of the permit and the Act duties must be included in site induction and training information. |
| PER_G02 | You must immediately notify the Authority by calling 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842) in the event of: a) A discharge, emission or deposit which gives rise to, or may give rise to, actual or potential harm to human health or the environment; b) A malfunction, breakdown or failure of risk control measures at the site which could reasonably be expected to give rise to actual or potential harm to human health or the environment; or c) Any breach of the permit. |
| PER_G03 | You must notify the Authority within 48 hours of the occurrence of any the following: (a) Any change to your name or address (including your registered address and site as applicable); or (b) A change to an officer (as defined in the Act). You must update the EPA Interaction Portal if any other relevant administrative details for your business change. |
| PER_G04a | You must provide the Authority with a Permission Information and Performance Statement (PIPS) in the form determined by the Authority within 2 months of receiving notification in writing from the Authority. The PIPS may be released to the public (in whole or in part). |
| PER_G04b | Information and monitoring records used for the preparation of, inclusion in, or support of, any reporting or notification that is required of you by the Authority (including data reporting, performance reporting, documents evidencing any risk and monitoring program) must be: a) retained for five years; and b) made available to the Authority on request. |
| PER_G05 | 1. You must develop a risk management and monitoring program for your activities which: (a) identifies all the risks of harm to human health and the environment which may arise from the activities you are engaging in at your activity site; (b) clearly defines your environmental performance objectives; (c) clearly defines your risk control performance objectives; (d) describes how the environmental and risk control performance objectives are being achieved; (e) identifies and describes how you will continue to eliminate or minimise the risks in 1(a) (above) so far as reasonably practicable (SFARP); and (f) describes how the information collated in compliance with this clause, is or will be disseminated, used or otherwise considered by you or any other entity. 2. The risk management and monitoring program must be: (a) documented in writing; (b) signed by a duly authorised officer of the licensed entity; and (c) made available to the Authority on request. |
| PER_RP01 | You must keep: a) records of all monitoring undertaken; and b) a copy of the agreement between the supplier and the end user. These records must be kept for five years and made available to the Authority on request. |
| PER_RP02 (specific) | You must take all reasonable steps to confirm that all recipients that you are supplying with reportable priority waste are authorised to receive the waste. |
| PER_RP03 (specific) | You must keep records of: (a) incoming movements of waste into your activity site; (b) the current location of waste at your activity site; and (c) the waste type of any waste located at your activity site. |
| PER_WM01 | You must ensure that: a) Only waste of a type shown in Appendix 4 of this permit is accepted at the activity site; and b) if any waste is received at the activity site that is not of a type shown in Appendix 4, that this waste is placed in a designated and clearly sign-posted temporary storage area and is transported to a site which is authorised to receive this waste within 21 days of the date it was received. |
| PER_WM03 | Each container holding waste at the activity site must be labelled so that the contents and the waste producer can be identified. |
| PER_WM04 | All unloading, loading, processing, storage and general handling of liquid wastes, reportable priority wastes, oils and chemicals must be conducted in a way which prevents leaks and spills from escaping to the environment. |
| PER_WM08 (specific) | You can store up to [placeholder1 at the activity site at any time. |
Manage your permit
To amend, transfer or surrender your permit, visit Manage your permission.
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