When you need a development licence and 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.
Under the Regulations, you need a permission to regulate waste from activities involving more than 5,000 animals concentrated for agricultural production. This applies to any combination of pigs, cattle, sheep or goats. This includes waste from:
- piggeries
- cattle feedlots
- sheep feedlots
- goat feedlots or goat dairies
- dairy freestalls.
To discharge or deposit the waste from these activities solely to land, you need a B01a – Animal industries (waste solely to land) development licence and permit.
Waste solely to land means that waste is contained on the premises and not discharged from the premises boundary. For example, onto neighbouring land or to a waterway. However, waste can be discharged as trade waste or go to a place authorised to accept it.
You must manage waste from farm activities so it does not contaminate land or water, or risk the health of humans, animals or crops. For more information, visit Farm waste.
Exemptions
Under some circumstances, you can apply for a development licence exemption or a permit exemption.
Related activities
If you do not discharge or deposit waste solely to land, you need a B01b– Animal industries (waste not solely to land) development and operating licence.
Waste not solely to land means that all waste is not contained on the premises and is discharged from the premises boundary. For example, to a waterway.
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 development licence or 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:
Details of the proposal
Provide a description of the activity design and layout, and evidence of:
- the nature of your animal industry operation including:
- type of animal, such as pigs, cattle, sheep, goats
- type of operation, such as piggery, feedlot, freestall
- capacity or number of animals
- density
- operating lifespan
- description of the operation of the activity
- land area information:
- land area available for your animal industry operation
- land area available for land application of wastes, mortalities or effluent
- water supply and consumption such as drinking, cooling and/or cleaning
- waste and mortality management
- stormwater and wastewater management infrastructure
- environmental controls.
Waste management
Provide a description and evidence of:
- type of waste generated and managed on site, such as:
- manure
- spent bedding
- animal mortalities
- effluent
- details of waste storage, treatment and disposal infrastructure – including sizing and construction standards
- step by step description of waste management and treatment systems or processes
- description of the methods for discharging or depositing waste solely to land
- technical validation that any waste treatment can achieve a performance standard for discharge or depositing to land.
Waste treatment performance standard
Provide a description and evidence of:
- proposed performance standards of any waste treatment system or process discharging or depositing waste solely to land
- justification for the selected waste management and treatment methods.
Consideration of risk of harm to human health and the environment
Provide an assessment that shows the activity will not lead to an unacceptable risk of harm to the environment or human health. This may need to include:
- odour impact assessment following methods in Guidance for assessing odour
- noise impact assessment using the Noise limit and assessment protocol for the control of noise from commercial, industrial, and trade premises and entertainment venues and Assess low frequency noise
- land capability assessment
- groundwater impact assessment using the Hydrogeological assessment guidelines for groundwater quality.
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 or licence is valid for
Your permit is valid for 5 years. The duration of a development licence depends on the activity.
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 | 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). |
| 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_WL01 | You must keep records of: a) the location where any waste is discharged or deposited; b) the date of discharge or deposit; c) the method of discharge or deposit; and d) the quantity of waste discharged or deposited to land. The records must be kept for five years and made available to the Authority on request. |
| PER_WL02 | You must keep records of: a) the quantity and quality of the waste being discharged or deposited to land; b) waste quality commitments and targets; c) all monitoring undertaken; and d) details of incidents and the corrective actions taken; The records must be kept for five years and made available to the Authority on request. |
| PER_WL03 | You must keep records of all complaints and rectification actions regarding waste discharged or deposited to land. The records must include: a) The nature of the complaint; b) the time and date of the complaint; c) any investigation that resulted and the outcomes of any investigation; and d) Any other actions taken to address the complaint. These records must be kept for five years and made available to the Authority on request. |
| PER_WL04 | You must ensure the waste being discharged or deposited to land meets the quality required for the intended use. |
| PER_WL05 | You must ensure that the area where waste is discharged or deposited to land has appropriate signage in accordance with AS 1319-1994 Safety signs for the occupational environment. |
| PER_WL06 | You must restrict public access to the activity site during irrigation periods. |
| PER_WM02 | All plant and equipment must be maintained and operated in proper working condition, in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. |
Conditions for development licences are specific for each licence.
Manage your licence or permit
To amend, transfer or surrender your licence or permit, visit Manage your permission.
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