The closed landfill self-assessment tool (publication 1671) is available to download and print out from the EPA website.

Fill in each section of the tool as you complete the assessment: 

• Section 1: Location attributes 
• Section 2: Management attributes 
• Section 3: Monitoring 
• Section 4: Gas, groundwater and surface water risks 
• Section 5: Off-site issues and management 
• Section 6: Cells, rehabilitation and monitoring 

It is strongly suggested that you take photos throughout each assessment. These will be useful during further assessments and help EPA to provide advice. 

Enter the scores from sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 (section 5 does not have a score) onto the 'Overall site risks' page. Add the scores to get the site's overall assessment score. This overall assessment score can be copied onto page 2 of the tool. 

Complete the questions about site management and waste acceptance. 

Enter any additional comments if necessary. 

When you've finished the risk assessment, the site will receive an overall assessment score. Use this to identify the level of risk: 

A score of 37 or more: 

Based on assessment, potentially low risk. Consider when future re-assessment should be undertaken. 

A score of 31 to 36: 

Contact your local EPA office to discuss the future management of the site for the risks identified. 

A score of 30 or less: 

Contact your local EPA office, as an EPA Site Inspection may be recommended. 

The risk mitigation activities required will vary for each site. 

If an assessment rates a closed landfill in your municipality as medium to high risk, contact us. EPA can help to verify the level of risk. We can also support local councils to plan management strategies for medium to high risk sites. 

There is no obligation to report the results from this tool to EPA. However, providing the data will help us support you with addressing any issues identified during a risk assessment. 

You can contact your regional waste and resource recovery group (WRRG) or your local EPA officer/representative if you need help with a landfill assessment or risk mitigation activities.  

Call EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or email your local EPA office. 

The tool has been designed to be easily used by local government staff with a basic knowledge of waste and landfill management.

If you have good knowledge of the closed landfill site, an assessment of an individual site could be done in as little as an hour.

Using the tool and submitting information to EPA is voluntary. You can choose to engage environmental consultants or use your own risk assessment methods. However, using this tool provides a free and easy way to assess landfills.

No, the tool is free.

Answer each question as best as you can. If you can't answer a question or need to provide further information, make a note in the comments section of the tool.

There is large scale mapping available that gives basic, useful geology information.

There is large scale mapping available that gives basic, useful groundwater information, such as depth to groundwater and some general water quality information.

This is a risk-based tool. There is no specific timeline or cut-off period for risk assessments.

If an assessment rates a closed landfill in your municipality as medium to high risk, contact us. EPA can help to verify the level of risk. We can also support local councils to plan management strategies for medium to high risk sites.

It's important to start planning a management strategy for sites you believe pose an immediate risk.

Councils have an obligation to manage the environmental risks from closed landfills. It is recommended that you plan for taking appropriate actions to mitigate those risks.

You can contact your regional waste and resource recovery group (WRRG) or your local EPA officer/representative if you need help with a landfill assessment or risk mitigation activities.  

Call EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or email your local EPA office.