Two Veolia waste-disposal companies have been fined nearly $20,000 over a smelly mess that attracted a swarm of insects to a factory at Dandenong South.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) fined NSW-registered companies Veolia Environmental Services (Australia) Pty Ltd and Veolia Recycling & Recovery Pty Ltd each $9,980 for the dairy-waste stench found at a warehouse in Stephen Road in January.
EPA officers found more than 1000 litres in pallets, stored without an EPA permit or licence.
“At the time, the weather was hot, the waste had been stored in the warehouse since October 2024 without any refrigeration,” the EPA stated.
“The odour was strong enough to linger in the officers’ uniforms after they left the inspection.”
EPA stated they also discovered spilled waste on the driveway that started to congeal in the sun.
The dairy waste was classified as a priority waste under the Environment Protection Act 2017, which has requirements for correct storage, handling, transport and disposal, including reasonable steps to prevent escape or contamination.
Veolia Environmental Services (Australia) Pty Ltd was fined for unlawfully depositing more than 1,000 litres of waste at a place that was not licensed to accept it.
Veolia Recycling & Recovery Pty Ltd, was fined for failing to notify EPA of the breach immediately.
The mess was quickly cleaned up, once EPA made contact, according to the EPA.
The operator has a right to have the fines reviewed or heard by a court.
