A Thomastown company has been fined, after officers from EPA Victoria traced muddy tracks back to its Trawalla Avenue premises.
They issued PGH Bricks & Pavers Pty Ltd with a $1,923 fine for depositing sediment via traffic movements, after inspecting the property on 29 May 2024.
EPA Northern Metropolitan Regional Manager Chloe Bernett says the officers spotted the muddy trail while conducting a routine inspection at a neighbouring business.
“We had already given the company compliance advice in 2023, but found the problem had returned, and trucks were tracking sediment out of the worksite and into the street,” Ms Bernett said.
“Muddy tracks like that are not only unsightly and an inconvenience to the public, but can be washed into drains and local waterways, affecting wildlife and potentially clogging the drainage system,” she said.
The EPA officers found trucks were bypassing a wheel washing system designed to keep sediment from leaving the property, and the muddy tracks went all the way to Mahoneys Road, more than 600 metres away.
Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
EPA Victoria receives more than 20,000 pollution reports a year from members of the public.