Many things we do at work can cause pollution and create waste. This can put our health and our land, air and waterways at risk of harm. New environment protection laws in Victoria will require all businesses to take proactive steps to manage risks of harm from pollution and waste.

This guide is intended for councils as a duty holder under the Environment Protection Act 2017, where they may give rise to risks of harm to people or the environment.

This guide outlines how to manage risks, including examples of how this can be done using a simple four-step process. It also provides an outline of your legal obligations, starting with the general environmental duty (GED), and what actions you can take to comply with the new laws.