EPA is in the final operational stage of the clean-up of the Lemon Springs site, with all 32 sites safely excavated, backfilled with clean soil and the dismantling of non-essential building and equipment well underway.

“The Kaniva community has been incredibly supportive of the clean-up project team since we started in 2020 and we appreciate their support and input into such an important project,” EPA Project Manager Julian Bull said. 

“The numbers show the breadth of work that has been done, with about 70 EPA and Enviropacific staff involved in removing more than 1,650 tonnes of liquid waste and 13,500 tonnes of contaminated soil after more than 40,000 tonnes of contaminated soil was discovered.” 

“Removal of the 52,323 acetylene cylinders discovered at the site is complete. All the cylinders have been safely transported from the Lemon Springs to the Stawell facility.

“This has been the largest project of its kind in the country and despite the complexities and logistical challenges, it has been conducted without incident. All risks were managed and safety maintained for the project staff and the community.” 

Mr Bull said EPA would continue to provide updates to the Kaniva community as new information became available. 

For a further update on the site, view our latest progress video: 

Staying informed

EPA’s website is the best place to visit to stay up to date –  www.epa.vic.gov.au/lemonsprings

For further information and feedback:

Reviewed 19 September 2023