Shandel is officially a DWER accredited Contaminated Sites Auditor in WA! She has persisted, worked so hard and endured the stress and pressure to achieve this well-earned career goal. This is a huge highlight for Shandel and the AEA team are proud of her achievement. Congratulations!
We have some fantastic news. Alyson has been appointed as an auditor in Victoria. She applied via mutual recognition in NSW and was swiftly accepted, no interviews, no questions, no extra details. Alyson has over 20 years experience and to complement her auditor status she is also a reputable risk assessor. This is a huge acknowledgement of respect the EPA has for Alyson as they have gotten to know her over the past few years. We are thrilled to open up the Vic market to another great AEA auditor in this State. On behalf of all the AEA team, congratulations to you Alyson on your appointment!
All states, territories and the Australian Government have collaborated to develop a PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (PFAS NEMP) version 2.0. The final PFAS NEMP 2.0 was agreed by Heads of EPAs in October 2019. The PFAS NEMP 2.0 is now being implemented in the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions. AEA has several in-house specialists with a history in reviewing and auditing sites affected by PFAS. Please contact us for case studies and to find out how we can help you. Read more information and access the PFAS NEMP here.
BREAKING NEWS: Commencement of the new Victorian Environment Protection Amendment Act 2018 has been postponed until 1 July 2021. Read the details here.
Congratulations to Shandel Coleman for becoming an auditor in Queensland! This is a huge milestone to your professional career and a huge asset to our team at AEA. Well done and well deserved!
On behalf of the whole team at AEA we want to congratulate Kevin Masterton for becoming an auditor in Queensland! Your persistence and hard work has created a huge success for you. Well done Kev!
We get asked “How much will an audit cost?” almost every day. Auditors generally charge by an hourly rate. The rates vary depending on the experience and requirement of the auditor chosen. There are many factors for why the cost of an audit would differ. Some of these variables to consider may include: Nature and extent of contamination; Timing and quality of the consultants assessment and remediation work; Complexity of the site and future use; Number of documents for audit review; and, Need for a site inspection. If you engage an auditor early in the process then this may result in significant cost savings by reducing any possible project delays. Best case scenario would be a site that has undertaken due diligence prior to purchasing and has resulted in minimal contamination impact to human health and the environment, complemented with good quality consultant reports for auditor review. A more complicated scenario may be a proposed mixed-use site purchased on a contaminated property without any due diligence (resulting in further testing and remediation works) together with poor quality consultant reports and engaging an environmental auditor late in the process. What types of documents do Auditors need to review? Auditors review all sorts of documents, including results from soil sampling and analysis, groundwater monitoring events, remediation action plans, site environmental management plans, planning and development plans, any other relevant documents at the request of the auditor to assist in the audit outcome. Important Note Although those Auditors with more years’ experience may have a higher hourly rate, they may add value by completing document reviews quicker or pick up on issues for faster attention by the client. Choosing the right Auditor for your project will make a difference to the project’s bottom line. At AEA, we have seven Auditors with multiple accreditations/appointments across the country and a variety of disciplines. Call one of our offices to find the right Auditor to suit your project.
As you may or may not be aware, as of the 1st of July 2019, EPA Victoria no longer accepts paper waste transport certificates for the movement of Prescribed Industrial Waste (PIW) in Victoria; this includes licensed receivers (e.g. landfills, treatment facilities) for contaminated soil. The Directors and staff at Australian Environmental Auditors (AEA) feel it is our duty to inform our stakeholders, and particularly those that may be effected by this new system, that you are now required to submit waste transport certificates electronically. The new system will enable EPA to monitor the movement of waste more efficiently and accurately. This will help to prevent potential harm to human health and the environment. Here’s what you need to know: Every producer, transporter and receiver using waste transport certificates must register. Electronic certificates are free of charge until 30 June 2020. Forms are only accessible/compatible using Internet Explorer from a desktop only. Save time and create a template when needing numerous, similar certificates. There are three parts to a waste transport certificate: Here’s what to do: Create an account on the EPA Interaction Portal (register on behalf of a business) or Log In if you already have an account. If you are producing waste, select ‘Waste transport certificates’ on the left-hand side and create the appropriate certificate (you can also save time and set up a template for future use). Note EPA require submission on the day of works, not prior to. Once completed, click ‘view and print’. Watch the video tutorial here. Or read the user guide here. There is also a Q&A section on the EPA website that may be helpful. On behalf of all of us at AEA, thanks, kind regards and good luck with the new system.
Wow! What an achievement. Congratulations to Richard Wolfe for 25 years of service to the Victorian environment. A rewarding milestone in itself. Your team at AEA are privileged to work with you and learn from you.
EPA Victoria have been working with DELWP on a searchable contaminated land database called Victoria Unearthed. This new online tool, launched on Thursday 14th of March, will help Victorians identify and investigate the quality of land and groundwater on their properties. Victoria Unearthed includes data about land and groundwater that’s been brought together in the one place for the first time, delivering new levels of transparency for information relating to past land use. This a great tool for our property development clients prior to purchasing properties. If your property has an Environmental Audit Overlay (EAO), one of our auditors would be pleased to chat about this planning restriction and how to tackle it.