Question On Notice No. 3042 asked in the Legislative Council on 11 August 2020 by Hon Robin Chapple
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to Cockburn Cement Limited (CCL), their operations, and their dealings with the Department under The Environmental Protection Act (1986), and I ask:
(a) has CCL applied to the
Department to conduct an 'odour neutralisation trial' at its Munster premises:
(i) if yes to (a), has this been approved:
(A) if yes to (a)(i), when was this approved, and under what conditions; and
(B) if no to (a)(i), can the Minister advise on when the Department will make a decision on the proposal; and
(b) does the gas stream from the Kilns contain
sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen chloride, carbon dioxide (acid gases) or other toxic gases and particulates;
(c) does the proposal state that CCL intends to inject a fine water mist into any gas stream at its kilns at the Munster premises:
(i) if yes to (c), will the injection of a fine mist of water into the gas stream at the kilns create water-soluble acid species and/or acid rain:
(A) will the Minister please provide a explanation or rationale in response to his answer to (c)(i);
(B) if yes to (c)(i), what measures does CCL propose to prevent acid-rain-forming species being emitted from the chimney stacks of the Kilns; and
(C) if yes to (c)(i), what conditions would the Department impose on the project to mitigate the increased risk of acidification of atmospheric water;
(d) if CCL was permitted to burn only natural gas - in lieu of coal - in their kilns, would the quantity of acidic species, released into the atmosphere, be reduced:
(i) if yes to (d), will the Department enforce this condition at this site, given its proximity to residential areas?
Answered on 15 September 2020
(a) Yes
(a)(i) Yes
(a)(i)(A) Works Approval W6167/2018/1 was granted by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on 25 January 2019. A third-party appealed the conditions of the Works Approval and following an investigation by the Appeals Convenor, the appeal was dismissed on 24 April 2019. The appeal determination was based on the advice and recommendation of the Appeals Convenor and noted the short duration of the trial and advice that the neutralising product was safe for the intended application.
The Works Approval authorised the trial, with conditions limiting the trial duration, the injection rate, and conditions specifying the concentration of the product and testing of stack gases during the trial. Cockburn Cement Limited was required to submit a report on the outcome of the trial. The trail was completed on 8 July 2019.
(a)(i)(B) Not applicable
(b) The gas stream contains sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen chloride, carbon dioxide and particulates.
(c) Yes
(i)(A)-(C) Acid gases can create acid droplets when mixed with water vapour. Cockburn Cement Limited’s trial used a maximum injection rate of water mist into the stacks of 10 litres per minute, to control any increase in the volume of acids being created. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation has advised that the trial was unlikely to lead to an increase in the volume of any acids being created.
(d) The quantity of acidic species resulting from the combustion of gas is lower than from the combustion of coal.
(i) The use of coal as a fuel was considered by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation as part of the comprehensive review it undertook in 2016. All potential emissions associated with this fuel type were thoroughly assessed for risk to public health and the environment at this time. That assessment process determined that any health risk associated with emissions from burning coal was not unacceptable. The Cockburn Cement Limited Licence includes a range of conditions regulating emissions from the Premises. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation monitors compliance with conditions of the Licence.