Ombudsman condemns EPA in scathing toxic soil investigation

The Victorian Ombudsman has slammed the Victoria’s environmental watchdog over its handling of the West Gate Tunnel toxic soil debacle.

After concerns from local communities near three sites approved by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for the dumping of PFAS-affected spoil — in Bulla, Bacchus Marsh and Ravenhall — the Ombudsman announced an investigation in August 2021.

In a damning report, Ombudsman Deborah Glass said “The EPA told us consulting the community would be a waste of time – in effect, they thought there was no point in consulting because they knew what the community thought”.

Ms Glass told Neil Mitchell that attitude was “completely unacceptable”.

“Their focus was on the science,” she said.

“They thought that was the key issue for them and what they neglected was their role as a regulator that needs to engage with communities, that needs people to understand where it’s coming from, and that respects and understands the concerns and fears that people — completely understandably — have.”

The Ombudsman found the EPA’s decision on the dumping of the PFAS-contaminated soil was made independently, but their perceived closeness with the state government was “a bad look”.

“One of the things that we were critical of is that their involvement in developing this risked compromising their independence.”

Press PLAY below to hear the Victorian Ombudsman sharing the findings of her investigation into the soil dumping