EPA can take businesses and individuals to court if they don’t comply with environmental laws. These laws include the:
- Environment Protection Act 1970
- Pollution of Waters by Oil and Noxious Substances Act 1986.
Offences after 1 July 2020 will be prosecuted under the Environment Protection Act 2017.
Prosecutions aim to:
- deter businesses and individuals from engaging in harmful activities
- reduce the harmful effects of pollution and waste on Victoria’s environment and its people.
A prosecution is a legal proceeding in Victoria's court system. It seeks to hold people to account for breaking the law. EPA prosecutions can result in penalties such as:
- fines
- direction to fund a community environmental project
- court costs.
