Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined fertiliser manufacturer, Incitec Pivot Limited almost $7500 for breaching its licence limits on fluoride emissions at its Portland site.
EPA South West Manager Eve Graham said the breach occurred on 26 May last year after a fluoride emission discharge reached 43 grams per minute, exceeding its 8.3 grams per minute licence limit allowance.
Ms Graham said a review of the data provided to EPA as part of its investigation found fluoride emission breaches could have occurred at the site for a number of weeks during May and June last year.
“It took Incitec Pivot Limited four days to notify EPA of the licence breach once they received a report informing them of the stack test results at the end of June. As part of its licence requirements, the company is required to immediately notify EPA of any breaches at the site.”
“EPA is currently reviewing all data from this period to determine whether there were any offsite environmental impacts.”
“EPA has fined the company $7381 for breaching its licence discharge limit. They were also issued with an official warning for failing to notify EPA immediately of the incident. Both offences are in contravention of section 27(2) of the Environment Protection Act 1970.”
“Licence holders have obligations to maintain their facilities to operate within EPA’s licence conditions.”
“Businesses that fail to operate within their limits must be held to account to ensure the community is not impacted by environmental pollution.”
”Conditions on an EPA licence are there to regulate the impact industries have on the environment and to protect the community and future generations.”
“It’s also disappointing that a prominent business within the south west community did not have sufficient mechanisms in place to ensure they met the reporting requirement condition of their licence.”
Since the replacement of the control valve, the internal stack testing has shown that the fluoride emissions have been below the licence limit.
Ms Graham said EPA officers recently inspected the site to ensure the company is complying with its licence conditions.