New South Wales DECCW Audit System
Western Australia Audit System
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Auditing
Engineering Management & Dangerous Goods Audits
The Site Auditor system commenced in 1990 in Victoria under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and led a national movement for auditing environmental
performance and the condition of the environment.
Environmental Auditors are appointed to carry out statutory duties pursuant to the Act that are commonly referred to as and include:
- 53X audits – these are the more common audits with regards to property development. The 53X audit ideally will result in a Certificate of Environmental Audit or a Statement of Environmental Audit;
- 53V audits - Conducting environmental audits of risk of harm to a segment of the environment caused by industrial processes or activities; and
- Audits identifying contaminated land above criteria for the relevant beneficial use(s) often lead to CUTEP (Clean Up to the Extent Practicable). This is typically a long process of remediation, monitoring and management of residual contamination.
Under the Environment Protection Act 1970, the requirements in environmental regulations, including works approvals and licenses, must be consistent with State Environment Protection Policies. These SEPPs include:
- SEPP (Ambient Air Quality);
- SEPP (Air Quality Management);
- SEPP (Prevention and Management of Contamination of Land);
- SEPP (Groundwaters of Victoria);
- SEPP (Control of Noise from Commerce, Industry and Trade); and
- SEPP (Waters of Victoria).
EPA maintains the Priority Sites Register (http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/land/PSRAccess.asp) as a listing of all sites where EPA has issued a clean-up notice or a pollution abatement notice (relevant to land and groundwater). A notice is a means by which EPA formalises requirements to manage pollution.
The Auditor also has a responsibility under the Act to notify the Authority of any imminent environmental hazard as soon as is practicable after becoming aware of the hazard in the course of conducting an environmental audit.
Useful publications (amongst others) relating to the Victorian audit system can be found on the EPA Victoria website (www.epa.vic.gov.au/envaudit/default.asp) and include:
- 759 – Guidelines for the issue of Certificates and Statements of Environmental Audit;
- 860 – Environmental Auditing of Contaminated Land; and
- 953 – Environmental Auditor Guidelines for Conducting Environmental Audits.
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