Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) more than $7,500 for a fourth time in 12 months, bringing the total of fines issued to the North Shore and Portland company to over $30,000 since March last year.
EPA Executive Director of Regional Services Damian Wells said the company was fined for exceeding the amount of fluoride it was allowed to emit from its Portland site.
“This is the second time in less than a year that the company has been fined for breaching the fluoride emission limits set out in the EPA licence that covers its Portland plant,” Mr Wells said.
“The company was also fined twice last December for illegally discharging about 1.7 million litres of treated wastewater and untreated stormwater into Corio Bay from its North Shore premises.”
Mr Wells said the company reported that the Portland licence breach was caused by a key piece of equipment not being in operation when a stack test at the site commenced.
“This equipment has since been repaired and the plant would now shut down if the equipment was not operating correctly,” Mr Wells said.
Mr Wells said EPA scientists had analysed data provided by Incitec Pivot and concluded that while a breach had occurred, the emission was a minor exceedance of the licence limit and off-shore winds would have prevented any impact on the township.
“EPA licence holders have obligations to maintain their facilities to operate within EPA’s licence conditions. Conditions on an EPA licence are there to regulate industries’ impact on the environment and to protect the community and future generations,” Mr Wells said.
High emissions of fluoride can cause damage to plants and buildings and can impact on human and animal health.
Mr Wells said that follow-up stack testing at the Portland site had confirmed that the company’s fluoride emission levels were back within EPA licence conditions.
“EPA officers will conduct an additional inspection of the site next month to assess that the company is complying with its licence conditions. Further failure by the company to comply with this licence requirement could see it fined up to $777,300 if prosecuted before the courts,” Mr Wells said.
EPA encourages members of the public to report suspected pollution to EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or at www.epa.vic.gov.au