NSW Environmental Protection Agency NSW Government
 

Targeted Compliance Program

The EPA’s Targeted Compliance Program is a strategic initiative that identifies and delivers focused compliance projects each year. 

These projects address important environmental and community risks, are large enough to require coordinated effort across the EPA and are designed to achieve measurable outcomes within 12 months.

2026–27 Targeted Compliance Program Projects

  1. Dangerous goods: Assess road transport compliance with the movement of dangerous goods within Regional NSW and Port Botany
    • Conduct joint compliance operations with key external stakeholders e.g. NSW Police and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to identify non-compliances with dangerous goods transport regulations, take appropriate regulatory action and ultimately prevent/reduce community exposure to dangerous goods from accidents.
  2. Hazardous waste: Assess the storage and handling of hazardous liquid waste (to reduce fires)
    • Undertake assessments of high-risk hazardous liquid waste facilities to identify hazards and risks and require appropriate mitigations to be put in place to protect the environment and communities.
  3. Waste: Target methane gas emissions from large putrescible waste landfills
    • Undertake compliance checks at NSW’s largest landfills to confirm operators are meeting licence requirements to reduce methane emissions, air pollution and odour.
  4. Pesticides: Assess compliance of 1080 users with the Eradicat Ejector Capsule and Felixer Cartridge Pesticide Control Orders
    • Perform an audit of records and qualifications and conduct field inspections of baiting storage and use sites to ensure 1080 bait requirements including chain of custody records and notification/ signage are being complied with.
  5. Noise: Noisy vehicles compliance campaign targeting commercial modifiers and repairers that result in excessive noise from vehicles
    • Hold businesses that enable unlawful vehicle noise modification to account to protect the community from the impacts of excessive vehicle noise from modified vehicles.
  6. Radiation: Assess industry compliance for the safe use, storage, and disposal of fixed radiation gauges
    • Conduct compliance inspections at licensed fixed radiation gauge facilities in both metropolitan and regional areas to ensure radiation risks at these premises are appropriately managed to protect workers, the public, and the environment.
  7. Forestry: Inspect high risk forestry operations targeting riparian exclusion zone protection, effective road and track drainage, and implementation of the Southern Greater Glider SSBC
    • Undertake targeted inspections of high-risk public native forestry operations within the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (CIFOA) area to improve compliance with riparian exclusion zone protections, road and track drainage standards, and the Southern Greater Glider site specific biodiversity condition, to reduce environmental harm and strengthen sustainable forest management outcomes.
  8. Water: Assess effluent discharges (including assessing the accuracy of testing results provided by third party providers) at selected sewage treatment plants
    • Obtain representative effluent discharge samples (e.g. coastal outfall and inland) side by side with Sydney Water, Hunter Water and Central Coast Council and assess the accuracy of the testing results subsequently provided to ensure the results are accurate and true.