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Home / Regulations / Environment Protection Act 2017

Environment Protection Act 2017: business waste duties

Identify Victorian business duties for waste, pollution, contaminated land and permissions under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and related regulations.

Illustration accompanying Environment Protection Act 2017
Illustrative image

Sources checked 18 September 2026. Scope: Victoria, with Australian schemes identified where relevant.

Victoria's Environment Protection Act 2017 provides the framework for managing pollution and waste risks. Applicable duties depend on what your business does and manages. Source: EPA Victoria — Our environment protection framework.

What applies

EPA describes duties covering environmental risk, contaminated land, waste, pollution incidents and noise, alongside permissions. The Environment Protection Regulations 2021 add activity-specific requirements. Identify actual activities and materials instead of relying on a generic compliance checklist. Source: EPA Victoria — Our environment protection framework.

Practical checks for your business

These suggested planning steps help organise site information; they are not an exhaustive legal compliance checklist.

  1. Map generation, storage, transport and receiving, and identify responsible people.
  2. Use the relevant EPA guidance to identify duties, permissions and records for those activities.
  3. Assign actions for gaps and seek qualified advice where classification, contamination or approvals remain uncertain.

Confirm the requirement for your site

For a disputed requirement or enforcement issue, ask the relevant authority or qualified adviser to identify the current provision and how it applies. Do not rely on an old penalty amount or general website summary.

Keep a usable decision record

Keep assessments, acceptance conditions, responsible contacts and supporting records together. Note what needs confirmation before changing the service or starting work.

Common question

Does a contractor settle every waste obligation?

Keep your own responsibilities in view. Identify duties for your role and ask what evidence the contractor will provide.

Discuss your collection requirements

Contact Bundle Waste with the waste type, site and collection requirements. Keep specialist legal, environmental or safety assessment separate from the collection request.

Sources

Primary guidance checked 18 September 2026. Review due 18 October 2026, or sooner if requirements change.