Choose an environmental auditor

Learn about environmental auditors and how to choose one.

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You need to engage an EPA appointed environmental auditor to conduct:

You may also need an auditor to undertake other functions under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and Environment Protection Regulations 2021.

Environmental auditors are appointed by us, but they are independent. They have a duty of care to the environment and to Victorians. This includes to their clients.

You can find a list of all EPA appointed environmental auditors on our public register.

What to consider

When choosing an environmental auditor, consider:

  • the purpose of the environmental audit
  • any previous assessment or remedial work undertaken (this may limit your choice of environmental auditor because of conflict of interest)
  • any PRSAs or environmental audits for similar sites in the area (environmental auditors who know the area may develop a better scope of work)
  • your need for detailed cost estimates.

Get quotes for the work the environmental auditor needs to undertake. Make sure there’s a clear description of the work’s scope.

Make clear the processes for:

  • doing any extra work in the contract
  • managing the project during any delays.

Environmental auditors and consultants

Environmental auditors often work with environmental consultants who have expertise in environmental science or engineering. While consultants cannot conduct environmental audits or PRSAs, they can:

  • perform assessments
  • undertake studies
  • conduct clean-up for contaminated sites.

An environmental auditor can review the work of the environmental consultant. This may include:

  • collecting and testing samples
  • conducting data modelling or analysis
  • preparing an assessment report or other report.

EPA appointed environmental auditors

Environmental auditors are assessed for reappointment every 3 years.

EPA appointed environmental auditors are independent. They are appointed in 3 categories:

  • contaminated land – land polluted by past or current activities. It may pose risks to people or the environment and might need cleaning up.
  • industrial facilities – this is activity based and includes factories, chemical storage, and other industrial sites that may cause harm. Auditors can be appointed in 3 subcategories:
    • wind energy facilities
    • landfills (design, construction, operation, closure and aftercare)
    • industries (all other industries, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning).
  • natural resources – activities like forestry or timber harvesting that could pose risks of harm to people or the environment.

Environmental auditors may also perform other functions under the Act and the Regulations – for example, verification of environmental management plans.

EPA appointed environmental auditors must not have:

  • a conflict of interest in relation to a site or stakeholder
  • a financial interest in a site.

They must not have assessed a site and commented on its suitability for use before auditing it, unless they are conducting a further environmental audit of an operational site such as a landfill.

Being independent means an auditor:

  • must form their own opinions and conclusions about work undertaken at the site
  • cannot be involved in the design or implementation of site clean-up or management
  • cannot be an advocate for the client – for example, they cannot argue a case for a lesser level of site assessment or remediation.

Register of EPA appointed environmental auditors

We maintain a register of EPA appointed environmental auditors.

We do not recommend or engage environmental auditors.

Performance of EPA appointed environmental auditors

It’s an environmental auditor’s responsibility to make sure their work and conduct:

  • is independent
  • is high quality
  • avoids conflicts of interest.

We have a quality assurance program to check the performance of environmental auditors. The program:

  • reviews selected completed PRSAs, environmental audit statements and reports
  • considers the auditor's performance in their other auditor functions
  • checks that they only do audits within their field of expertise or the expertise of their support team.

If you have concerns about an EPA appointed environmental auditor’s performance, conduct, or quality of work, you can contact us.

Guidance and forms for environmental auditors

We provide guidance for environmental auditors:

This guidance may also be useful for anyone involved in the environmental audit system to understand the role and requirements of environmental auditors.

These forms are used by environmental auditors:

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