The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of Victoria has fined a prominent cheese maker more than $9000 for emitting a strong odour from their premises in the Yarra Valley.
The EPA found cheese maker Yarra Valley Dairy Pty Ltd did not comply with a notice that asked for improvements to wastewater treatment so that the odour could be stopped.
The odour, which was described as smelling like sour milk with earthy characteristics, was escaping the cheese maker's premises in Yering and affecting neighbouring properties.
After given several months to act, the EPA fined the company $9,087 for contravening Section 31A(7) of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
EPA Northern Metropolitan regional manager Jeremy Settle said the company was given sufficient time to fix the smelly odour.
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"After a VCAT challenge to our original notice issued in May 2021, we issued an amended notice in October, but when EPA officers arrived in December to check on compliance, the odour on St Huberts Rd was strong enough to cause discomfort when facing into the wind," Mr Settle said.
"The company had complied with some of EPA's requirements, but not all, and the odour was still there,"
They found that although Yarra Valley Pty Ltd had complied with the EPA's order to submit a management plan developed by a qualified expert to reduce odour, it didn't put all of the plan into action and was still causing unreasonable impact to the community.
"The message to all businesses is that any EPA remedial notice gives a set of instructions with a clear deadline, and must be taken seriously," Mr Settle said.
"It's there to protect the community and the environment, and everyone running a business must understand their responsibilities," he said
Yarra Valley Dairy has been producing artisan cheese in the Yarra Valley since 1994 with product sold a number of outlets, via delivery, as well as on-site.
The company did not respond to Stock & Land's enquiries before deadline.
