Mystery of the bright green lake is solved after murky water suddenly started glowing a fluorescent colour
- A company has been fined after liquid dye from its factory leaked into a creek
- The water in Scotchmans Creek in eastern Melbourne turned bright green
- The business was fined $8,060 by Environment Protection Authority Victoria
A company has been fined after liquid dye from its factory leaked into a storm water system and turned a creek fluorescent green.
The water in Scotchmans Creek in eastern Melbourne turned bright green for a few hours, and was traced back to a substance used at Pebble Mix, a company situated in Glen Waverley.
Officers attended the business and came across an onsite issue that contributed to the leakage.
The business was fined $8,060 by Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) for releasing a liquid mix fluorescein into the waterways.
A company has been fined after liquid dye from its factory leaked into the storm water system and turned a creek fluorescent green
The water in Scotchmans Creek in eastern Melbourne turned bright green for a few hours
Fluorescein is a dye often used by plumbers to track drain systems, and a small quantity can spread substantially through water.
While it doesn’t maintain the bright colouring for any more than a few hours, an EPA spokesman said the odd colouring could have been off-putting for locals.
‘It’s hard to say if it caused any harm to the area.’
‘EPA expects businesses to manage their onsite risks including installing controls to make sure liquids do not escape their premises,’ EPA Regional Manager Marleen Mathias said.
Officers attended the business and came across an onsite issue that contributed to the leakage
‘It is disappointing that the site did not have adequate controls in place.’
Some people challenged the fine the company received, saying it should have been more severe.
‘You’re kidding me,’ one person said. ‘This fine should have been a lot more’.
New laws will be introduced in Victoria as of July 1, 2020 demanding businesses take more responsibility for their environmental impact and to help prevent harm to both the environment and human health.
Fluorescein is a dye often used by plumbers to track drain systems, and a small quantity can spread substantially through water