Question On Notice No. 3171 asked in the Legislative Council on 9 September 2020 by Hon Tim Clifford
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Emergency Services
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
(1) I refer to the response provided to question without notice 798, and I ask:
(a) when will the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) investigation into whether there are any breaches of environmental legislation as a result of the fire be complete; and
(b) given Cleanaway’s South Guildford facility handled hazardous waste including batteries and hydrocarbon waste, why is DWER, in conjunction with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, only now creating a fire pollution and prevention strategy to reduce the risk of fires at material recycling facilities?
(2) I refer to the Cleanaway Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at South Guildford, and I ask:
(a) for any licensing breaches that have occurred on the site since operations began, will the Minister please provide details including when the breach occurred, the nature of the breach and what was done to rectify the issue;
(b) will the Minister please provide details, including when the fire occurred and the nature of the cause of the fire, for any fires that have occurred on the site since operations began;
(c) why did DWER classify a fire at a facility licenced to stockpile a million tonnes of flammable plastic waste as low risk and minor in consequence:
(i) why was this classification not adjusted when Cleanaway’s license was amended to receive hazardous waste, including hydrocarbon waste and batteries; and
(d) given the facility has not been required to undertake any Environmental Impact Assessment prior to operation and licencing and that the former Western Australian Parliamentary Waste Control Fire Inquiry (Bellevue Hazardous Waste Fire Inquiry) recommended a range of regulatory recommendations to ensure safer and better operations at large-scale waste facilities handling hazardous wastes such waste oil and plastics, why did DWER not require a full fire impact risk and hazard assessment prior to issuing a licence?
(3) I refer to the waste water that entered the Swan River as a result of fire fighting efforts during the November 2019 fire at Cleanaway’s South Guildford facility, and I ask:
(a) will the Minister please confirm the estimated amount of runoff that may have entered the swan estuary during these efforts:
(i) can the Minister please account for the discrepancies between DWER and Cleanaway reports; and
(b) does the Minister echo community sentiment for the facility to be relocated to a safer location with a more adequate buffer zone, away from the Swan River and homes?
Answered on 13 October 2020
(1) Please refer this question to the Minister for Environment.
(a) Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) is the jurisdiction for breaches of environmental legislation.
(b) DWER is the jurisdiction for pollution. DFES has an advisory role.
(2)(a) Please refer to the Minister for Environment. DWER is the jurisdiction for licensing of these facilities.
(b) Fires that have been reported to DFES at the Cleanaway South Guildford facility since 1 January 2017:
- 25/11/2019 Incident #460022 Structure fire Accidental
- 12/11/2019 Incident #458409 Fire in trash receptacle Accidental
- 24/10/2019 Incident #455672 Structure fire Accidental
- 18/1/2019 Incident #420554 Fire in compactor Accidental
(c) Please refer to the Minister for Environment. DWER is the jurisdiction for classifying pollution risks in these facilities.
(d) Please refer to the Minister for Environment. DWER is the jurisdiction for licensing of these facilities.
(3)(a) DWER developed its report of estimated runoff that may have entered the Swan Estuary during the firefighting efforts.