Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Executive Officer John Merritt said one benefit of the new agreement was the plan for joint identification, investigation and enforcement action against industry for breaches of the Environment Protection Act, or the Brimbank Planning Scheme.

Brimbank City Council Chief Executive Officer Nick Foa said the agreement would also allow EPA and Council to ensure the effective management of issues associated with former landfills and potentially contaminated sites.

The EPA and Brimbank City Council will still continue to undertake independent investigations of issues as they arise in order to provide evidence for compliance action and satisfy community expectations.