Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has approved a works approval application from Boral Cement Ltd to construct a new clinker grinding facility at Walchs Road, North Shore, Geelong (Lascelles Wharf).
Clinker is a coarse form of cement produced in a kiln.
Boral will construct new equipment and buildings including:
- An enclosed ball mill and covered store;
- A clinker unloading and delivery infrastructure (covered belt conveyors);
- Outdoor product stockpiles; and
- Several finished product storage and distribution silos at the premises.
The plant plans to accept and process clinker to produce cement products at a capacity of 1.3 million tonnes per year.
Clinker will be unloaded from ships and delivered to the site via covered belt conveyors from Lascelles Wharf. Following processing, finished product will be transported throughout Victoria.
The facility will operate 24-hours-a-day, with about two weeks per year shut-down for maintenance and repairs.
EPA Development Assessments Manager Tim Faragher said Boral required EPA works approval prior to commencing any construction works on the facility.
“Works approvals are issued by EPA Victoria under the Environment Protection Act 1970. They are required for industrial and waste management activities that have the potential for significant environmental impact,” Mr Faragher said.
Mr Faragher said once works are completed to EPA’s requirements Boral will then be required to obtain, and comply with, an EPA licence to operate the finished plant.
“EPA issues licences to sites that pose an environmental risk due to the nature of their activities. These sites are required by law to obtain permission for those activities and must operate within the limits of their licence and comply with all licence conditions,” Mr Faragher said.
Mr Faragher said Boral undertook community consultation prior to the submission of the application and during the public submission period.
“EPA attended a community session with key members of the North Shore Community Group where Boral discussed its proposal and responded to community questions and concerns. All public submission received by EPA were taken into consideration when making the final decision of Boral’s application,” Mr Faragher said.
Mr Faragher said EPA had examined the proposal thoroughly and found it complied with the Environment Protection Act 1970 and other relevant environmental policies.
“When assessing the application, EPA considered all possible environmental issues including operational noise and emissions to air, particularly the possibility for fine particulates and dust emissions. These environmental issues are of particular concern in this region both to the EPA and the community,” Mr Faragher said.
“EPA has assessed that Boral’s plant has proposed best practice control measures to prevent impact from dust and noise at its operation. EPA has imposed strict conditions on Boral to have monitoring and management plans in place, and will require that Boral demonstrate the effectiveness of their controls prior to issuing any operational licence.
“Recommended separation distances for a facility of this type have been met by the proposal, with immediate surrounding neighbours all existing industrial facilities and sensitive residential receptors greater than 500m from the premises boundary.”
For further information on Boral Cement’s works approval application including EPA’s full assessment of the application, please visit: http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-approvals/public-participation/featured-applications/boral-cement-ltd