Pollution Incident Response Management Plan

All EPL holders must prepare and maintain a Pollution Incident Response Management Plan (PIRMP) as part of their ongoing operation activities. A PIRMP is a comprehensive document that outlines the procedures in place to minimise the potential for pollution incidents on a premises. These procedures outline a clear and efficient process for notifications, actions, and communication to ensure the safe handling of incidents. The plan ensures that relevant individuals and authorities are promptly notified and kept updated if an incident occurs.

To help EPL holders develop a PIRMP, the EPA has released the Guideline: Pollution Incident Response Management Plans (PIRMP Guideline) (NSW EPA, 2024). This guideline explains the legislative requirements and provides guidance on preparing,
testing, and implementing a PIRMP.

Specific considerations that may be relevant to a PIRMP for dairy complexes are:

• surface and groundwater considerations from manure holding and applications
• land and soil considerations from nutrient (manure) applications
• noise and odour considerations associated with sensitive receptors
• dust from traffic, grain and harvesting activities
• hazardous substance management
• fire
• biosecurity
• traffic and transport.