If your business activities have caused a notifiable incident, you must call EPA on 1300 372 842. If you don't report as soon as you become aware of the issue, you have failed to meet your duty.

 

What is a notifiable incident?

A notifiable incident means a pollution incident that causes, or threatens to cause ‘material harm’ to human health or the environment.

Pollution incidents usually involve a leak or spill. They can also involve an unintended or unauthorised deposit, or an escape of a substance which results in pollution.

What incidents must be reported  

You must report a pollution incident if it causes or threatens material harm. This means that:

• there is an adverse effect on human health or the environment  
• there is an adverse effect on an area of high conservation value or of special significance 
• the cleanup or management of the pollution or cost of restoration would cost $10,000 or more.

Your obligation to report applies even when the incident is contained to your site.

 

Actual harm doesn’t need to have occurred for you to report the incident. It also applies where harm is threatened by the event. Your duty to report applies even when the incident is contained to your site.

 

Examples of the types of incidents to report include:

• the release is uncontrolled or unplanned and could cause material harm
• the substances are harmful to water or land in large quantities, such as a milk and organic materials
• a cleanup would be expensive
• the substances are dangerous or toxic and threaten the environment or people. An example being your safety data sheet indicates risk to the environment or to people. 

Who is responsible for reporting notifiable incidents?

If you’re the person who engaged in the activity that caused the incident it’s your responsibility to report it. Your duty to notify EPA of notifiable incidents is outlined under section 32 of the Environment Protection Act 2017.

If more than one person is involved in an activity that results in a notifiable incident, at least one person must notify EPA. If no one reports the incident then everyone involved has failed to meet their duty.

This duty to report also applies when someone should have been reasonably aware of the incident. Not being aware of the impacts of your business activities is not an excuse. 

It is your duty to be reasonably aware of the impacts of your business activities. If you do not report a notifiable incident to EPA, you have failed to meet your duty.

How to report a notifiable incident 

As soon as practicable after you’re aware there is a notifiable incident, you must report it. Follow the steps below to report the notifiable incident.

Step 1: call EPA on 1300 372 842

Call EPA on 1300 372 842 (24 hours).  You’ll be asked for the following information:

• your contact information
• your business name and address
• the time, date and location of the notifiable incident
• type of incident it was, such as a spill, leak, escape or fire
• what caused the incident, or you suspect caused it
• estimate of volumes released
• what you think the impact may be on human health and the environment
• how you’re managing the incident.

You must report a notifiable incident even if it puts your business at risk of legal action. You may receive a penalty if you don’t.

Step 2: return the notification form to EPA

We will email you a notification form after you’ve reported the incident. Complete the form and return it to us within five business days. Your report of a notifiable incident isn’t complete until you return the form to EPA.

If an environment protection officer needs to attend your site, you may be asked to assist during their inspection.

When not to report

Take a common sense approach. Some examples of when you might not need to report an incident are:  

• A small spill that you have contained and cleaned up on site (this will depend on the substances spilt, as some chemicals can leak through concrete and other barriers).
• If a release didn’t threaten the environment (could not migrate to the land or storm water drains) and would cost less than $10,000 to cleanup.
• If there were no known risks from the substance, and the site can be  easily restored. 

This is a general guide – you need to understand and manage your risks, including the substances involved. Some substances might not be dangerous to handle, but can still harm the environment. If they threaten to cause material harm to the environment or human health, you must report it.

Regardless of whether there is a duty to report the incident or not, you still need to take account of pollution incidents. Risks should be addressed and managed as part of your general environment duty. You are also still required to restore the environment, whether or not it causes material harm.  

How your reporting helps our community and our environment  

Your reporting will help us to:  

• respond quickly, where needed
• provide information to the Victorian community about environmental risks and conditions  
• understand the circumstances where serious incidents can occur  
• address non-compliance under the general environmental duty (GED).  

With this information we can better support business and the community to prevent pollution incidents in the future.

Privacy collection notice

EPA collects your information to identify who is reporting a notifiable incident and for what reason. This information may be used to investigate and evaluate non-compliance or contravention of the Environment Protection Act 2017. 

Your information may be used to contact you to provide updates on your notification or to seek further details about it. Your information may also be used to arrange for EPA inspections relating to the notifiable incident.

If you do not provide the information required by this form, including personal information, EPA will be unable to accept your notification.

You may contact EPA directly at 1300 372 842 or by email contact@epa.vic.gov.au to request access to your personal information.

Read the EPA’s privacy policy.