Environmental Management Calculation Protocol
The Environmental Management Calculation Protocol (PDF 1.2MB) sets out the matters and methods the EPA uses to determine the environmental management category allocated to holders of premises-based and mobile waste processing licences issued under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
Environmental management category
The environmental management category is informed by the environmental management performance of the licensee.
The EPA takes into account:
- a licensee's environmental performance based on their compliance history and certain regulatory actions the EPA has taken to respond to any incidents and non-compliances
- environmental improvement programs initiated by the licensee.
Based on this assessment, each licensee is allocated an environmental management category of either A, B, C, D or E.
Environment protection licence administrative fees
For premises-based licences and licences for mobile waste processing, licence administrative fees are calculated based on the type of activities being undertaken (fee-based activities), the scale of these activities, and the licensee's environmental management category.
Each environmental management category corresponds with an environmental management factor. These are listed in section 24 of the Protection of the Environment (General) Regulation 2022. The environmental management factor acts as a multiplier to the administrative fee, resulting in a decrease, increase or no change to the licence administrative fee.
Environmental management categories and corresponding environmental management factors
| Environmental management category | Environmental management factor |
|---|---|
| A | 0.95 |
| B | 1 |
| C | 1.3 |
| D | 1.6 |
| E | 2 |
Licensees who perform well and minimise their environmental risk are rewarded with a reduction of administrative fees. Whereas poor performing licensees pay licence fees that provide an incentive to improve their performance.
Environmental improvement programs
The EPA takes into account environmental improvement programs initiated by the licensee when determining their environmental management performance. This guideline (PDF 989KB) outlines environmental improvement programs considered in the environmental management category determination.