Environment Minister Ryan Smith’s office confirmed on Tuesday the EPA would maintain focus on the site.

A spokesman for the minister said: “We are confident that the action taken by the EPA in serving a clean-up notice on the company, along with a PAN notice in relation to dust, is the most appropriate course of action’’.

The EPA has ordered Hopley Demolition to remove all industrial waste from the site before the end of the year. The company was issued with a clean-up notice for dumping waste at a site that does not have the required permits.

The City of Greater Bendigo has also ordered the company to clean up and get off the crown land, which sits alongside a parcel of land Hopley Demolition has legitimate permits to operate on.

The council claims that in recent years the demolition company has encroached on the old tip site, which the council leases from the Department of Environment and Primary Industries for the purposes of rehabilitation.

Hopley Demolition does not have a lease for the site.

A City of Greater Bendigo spokesperson yesterday said the city was considering the appropriate course of action based on Hopley Demolition’s responses to its demands to stop using the site.

“The action taken and timeframe depend on the action or inaction of Hopley Demolition,’’ the spokesperson said.

Woolworths yesterday confirmed it was seeking assurances from Hopley Demolition that all waste being removed from the old Victory College site at Strathdale this week to make way for the new supermarket was being managed appropriately.

“We can confirm that Hopley Demolition have been contracted by Woolworths to work at our Kennington Village site,’’ the spokesperson said.

“Following the concerns raised, we are seeking assurances from Hopley Construction that materials from our site are being transported and managed appropriately. 

“All contractors working on our behalf are required to comply with all relevant regulations and laws.”

Hopley Demolition’s lawyers did not return calls on Tuesday.