Contaminated land
Contaminated land is land that contains substances – like waste, chemicals or other pollutants – at levels above what would naturally be there and could pose a risk to people or the environment.
Contamination can be found on the surface or below the ground.
How does contamination happen?
Contamination on land can make its way into the environment – spreading into soil, groundwater, surface water and even air. It can come from sources on the site or sources further away.
Common sources include:
- Industrial, mining, agricultural or commercial activities
- Poor management of wastes and hazardous substances
- Products or chemicals that were used in the past but are now known to be harmful
- Historic activities such as landfilling or farming
- Naturally occurring substances in rock or soil that become a problem when they’re disturbed.
In the past, soil and materials from Melbourne’s industrial areas were moved around and used to back fill low lying land.
In Kingston, the Green Wedge contains many former landfill sites due to the historic mining of Melbourne’s sand-belt region.
Why does it matter?
If contaminated land isn’t properly managed it can harm the environment and affect community health.
Understanding and managing contaminated land helps to:
- Protect the health of the community and the environment
- Ensure land is safe for current and future uses
- Support sustainable land management
- Avoid unnecessary financial and legal issues.
Our environmental duties Victoria’s environmental protection laws set out responsibilities for how we manage land, waste and pollution.
The duties in the Environment Protection Act 2017 apply to everyone – including Council.
The General Environmental Duty (S25) applies to all of us – government, businesses, households and the community. It requires everyone to do what they reasonably can to prevent and reduce harm from waste and pollution.
Contaminated land duties
People who own or manage land, including Council, must:
We all share the responsibility to understand the risks and take practical steps to protect our community and the environment.
Waste duties
All business – including Council – must manage waste safely and responsibly.
What is Kingston doing?
Kingston has a strong history of restoring and safely managing closed landfill sites. By working closely with experts and the EPA we’ve been able to manage risks and create safe, attractive parks and open spaces for the community to enjoy.
We’re also taking a proactive approach to managing land that may be contaminated across the municipality. This includes building our knowledge so we can better understand potential risks, make informed decisions and put practical solutions in place.
We’re doing this by:
- Identifying and flagging potentially contaminated land and land uses within the municipality.
- Bolstering our in-house technical capability so we can better understand and respond to contaminated land issues.
- Screening, prioritising and assessing Council owned or managed land to make sure it’s safe for the community and well-managed.
- Working closely with the EPA and other stakeholders to ensure land is managed responsibly, transparently and in a way that delivers the best outcomes for the community.
Need more information?
The EPA Victoria has helpful resources for community members and businesses about managing contamination, pollution and waste. It also provides guidance on how to seek advice from a qualified consultant.
Please contact us to learn more about contaminated land management at Kingston.