ALCOA ALUMINA REFINERY — WAGERUP — PRODUCTION LICENCE
956. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the licence amendment
application for production increase to 2.85 million metric tonnes per annum at
Alcoa Australia's Wagerup refinery.
(1) Will the
minister please table the findings of any independent studies carried out since
2006 that identify the potential harmful effects of dust on the health of
residents in Yarloop, Waroona, Harvey, Cookernup and Wagerup?
(2) What is the rationale for
lifting licence condition 4?
(3) In the
absence of scientific evidence into health impacts resulting from Alcoa's
activities, does the minister agree that the precautionary principle should be
implemented?
(4) When is the licence appeal
process expected to be completed?
Hon DONNA FARAGHER replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1) The
Department of Environment Regulation assessed the risk of fugitive dust impacts
from Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery in October 2015 when it amended
the premises' licence. The department's assessment is
documented in the decision document accompanying the licence published on the
department's website. I table those documents. The department advises
it is not aware of any independent studies carried out since 2006 that
specifically consider the potentially harmful effects of dust on the health of
residents in Yarloop, Waroona, Harvey, Cookernup and Wagerup.
(2) Condition A4
relating to fugitive dust was removed from Alcoa's Wagerup alumina
refinery licence in October 2015. The department's assessment and
decision to remove the condition is documented in the tabled decision document
accompanying the licence published on the department's website. The
assessment concluded —
�Fugitive dust emissions can be adequately
regulated via the general provisions of the EP Act —
The Environmental Protection Act 1986
—
�with particular reference to s49 of the EP Act.
DER expects that Alcoa will continue to have multilayered dust control measures
(refer to summary in section 7 of the 2012 LTRMS).
That is the long-term residue
management strategy. The assessment continues —
Alcoa is expected to continue
implementation of its dust control strategies regardless of whether fugitive dust
is regulated via a condition or the general provisions of the EP Act
The department advises that Alcoa
undertakes dust control measures as set out in the published decision document
and removal of the relevant condition does not reduce the level of these
controls or the monitoring for dust emissions that remain in place.
(3) As the appeal
of licence conditions is being investigated by the Appeals Convenor, it is not
appropriate that the minister comments in response to this question.
(4) See answer (3).
[See paper 4509.]