Council initiates Pilot Environmental Audit Program

Waste management and other environmental practices by Tweed businesses will be examined by a pilot program being launched by Council next month.

The pilot program of environmental audits will be conducted by Council officers from February to March, to look at waste management practices by businesses - including reuse, disposal and recycling - and will help Council determine whether businesses issued with development consent were complying with conditions relating to environmental matters, waste disposal and licences.

"The pilot will enable Council to work with the business community to adopt a more proactive role in the protecting the environment from pollution before it occurs and educate various industries to prevent pollution event," Council's Coordinator for Environmental Health, Brad Pearce, said.

"Tweed Shire is home to a number of industries that have potential to harm the environment if their workplace operations are not managed appropriately. The pilot will gauge the value and consequences of incorporating environmental audits in Council's regulatory activities.

"Businesses taking part in the pilot will not be required to contribute to the cost of the audit. One of the aims of the pilot is to find out what resources will be required for ongoing audits, and it identify what fees would be appropriate to balance cost recovery with industry expectations."

Mr Pearce said Council was also seeking community feedback on the proposed environmental audits and was inviting public submissions from Tuesday 4 February until close of business on Friday 21 March 2014.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated local governments needed to proactively engage in environmental auditing, to benefit the environment and their communities.

Twenty businesses will be randomly selected for the Tweed Shire pilot, from a diverse range of industries, so Council can assess their practices against standards put in place by the EPA.

"Those 20 businesses will be notified in writing and will be visited by a Council inspector before they are audited."

Further information is available by visiting Council's Tweed Heads or Murwillumbah offices or by contacting Brad Pearce or Alain Legrand on (02) 6670 2400 or by email to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au

Community submissions can be sent to: Pilot Environmental Auditing Program, c/o General Manager, Tweed Shire Council, PO Box 816, Murwillumbah 2484, or emailed to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au.