MELBOURNE, Australia – Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has issued a new remedial notice to UCC Coffee Australia (trading as Mocopan) over offensive odour and smoke from the Preston coffee roasting facility.
The notice adds to the measures EPA required in a remedial notice issued on 14 February 2021 requiring the company to improve its odour controls. The additional measures include odour monitoring and regular updates to the community.
EPA Northern Metropolitan Regional Manager, Jeremy Settle, said an EPA inspection of the Mocopan coffee roasting facility on Albert Street in Preston was triggered by reports from the community to the EPA 24-hour pollution hotline.
“Preston residents told us of persistent acrid, burning toast and burning coffee odours and smoke that drifted into their homes and affected their quality of life,” Mr Settle said.
EPA issued notices to Mocopan at the time, requiring improvements to the facility’s odour emission controls, but the company has failed to meet the requirements.
“The odour problem has persisted, so EPA is requiring the company to conduct regular odour surveillance monitoring and keep the community informed until the problem is resolved,” Mr Settle said.
The new notice requires the Mocopan coffee roasting facility to:
- Conduct 13 field odour surveillance surveys over a 2-month period;
- Provide a point of contact at Mocopan for the community to report offensive odours and visible emissions;
- Take immediate action to reduce the effects of odour;
- Provide monthly updates to the community on actions taken and a timeframe until the necessary odour controls take effect.
“Businesses have a clear responsibility to do all they can to eliminate or minimise offensive odour and emissions, and if they don’t meet that responsibility, EPA will take regulatory action to bring their activities into compliance with the law,” Mr Settle said.
The Environment Protection Authority Victoria will continue to closely monitor the environmental performance of the company.
