Company fined $90,000 for emissions at Gladstone Plant
09 June 2010
A torn pipe that sent a plume of caustic fumes over an area of up to 6km stripping paint from cars has landed the company responsible a fine of $90,000.
Queensland Alumina Ltd was also ordered to pay $20,000 in investigation costs after pleading guilty in the Gladstone Magistrates Court today before Magistrate Damien Carroll to unlawfully causing serious environmental harm.
Department of Environment and Resource Management, Assistant Director General (Environment and Natural Resource Regulation), Dean Ellwood, said the fine reflected the seriousness of the incident.
“We can only be thankful that the emission lasted no longer than five minutes before the plant was shut down,” Mr Ellwood said.
“However, in the short time that the emission lasted, the chemicals emitted led to 275 insurance claims on damage to cars in the area, including those of QAL staff who had parked in the company carpark, and other property down-wind of the emission plume.
“If the plant had not been shut down quickly, the effects could have been significant for property and human health, and the case has understandably caused considerable concern in the Gladstone community.
“Thankfully DERM is not aware of any residents whose health suffered as a result of this incident.”
The charge, under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, arose from an incident on 15 January 2009, when a torn pipe at the company’s Gladstone alumina refinery led to the emission of hazardous vapour containing chemicals including caustic soda, an ingredient common in paint strippers.
Department of Environment and Resource Management investigations found that 8220m3 of steam containing up to 35m3 of caustic liquor droplets was released into the atmosphere during the incident.
It was also estimated that the vapour plume containing the caustic substance travelled up to 6km to the southwest.
Mr Ellwood said the tear, measuring more than 60cm by 20cm, had formed at a point where a previous patch plate had been welded into the piping.
“QAL admitted that these repairs may have been made up to 30 years ago, although no documentation exists on the patching,” Mr Ellwood said.
“They also admitted that they have no standards, policies or administrative controls in place to ensure this section of the piping is inspected.
“Under Australian Standards relating to pipes of this kind, the patching should have been inspected internally and externally on a regular basis.
“It’s simply not good enough for a plant of this nature, which has the capacity to produce toxic vapours, to be lax when it comes to the maintenance of its plant.”
Mr Ellwood said DERM had been working with QAL to ensure that the relevant “digester train” – or pressure vessel in which chemicals are reacted to produce alumina – was maintained to the appropriate standards.
“At the department’s direction, QAL last year carried out a major assessment to ensure all of the components in the digester were within the maintenance specifications,” he said.
“This led to the plant being offline for several days at considerable cost to the company.
“The company has also made a commitment to review its development approval to ensure that it is up to best practice standards.
“What was at stake during this incident was not only cars and their paintwork, but also the health of the community and the health of local ecosystems including vegetation and waterways. We do not ever want to see it happen again.”
No conviction was recorded.
ENDS
For further information contact Department of Environment and Resource Management Media Services Ph: (07) 3224 7792 or email media@derm.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 09 June 2010