Paper Australia Pty Ltd (Australian Paper) has provided Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) with a health impact assessment to support its application for a works approval that seeks to develop a large-scale energy from waste facility in Victoria.
The facility is proposed to be co-located within the boundaries of the Australian Paper site in Maryvale, Latrobe Valley.
The health impact assessment, and the company’s full application, can be viewed at: https://engage.vic.gov.au/epa-works-approvals/australian-paper-wa Hard copies can also be viewed by appointment at EPA’s Gippsland office in Traralgon (8–12 Seymour Street / 1300 372 842) or at Australian Paper’s information centre which is open to the public Tuesday-Friday from 9am-3pm (126 George Street Morwell / 5191 9338).
EPA invites the community to provide any comments they wish to make about the health impact assessment by 16 October through either the Engage Vic website link above or by email to approvals.applications@epa.vic.gov.au
The proposed plant would generate both steam and electricity that can be directly used in the papermill and its operations or power exported to the grid. The proposed plant, which would replace two existing gas-fired boilers, would produce approximately 30 megawatts electric (MWe) and 150 tonnes per hour of steam.
EPA Development Assessments Director Tim Faragher said the works approval application was originally open for public comment in June and EPA received 115 submissions.
“EPA also ran a community conference in July to hear concerns from those that made submissions. This further consultation period allows interested community members to make further comments on the new information that Australian Paper has submitted,” Mr Faragher said.
EPA’s assessment of the application will consider issues such as use of best practice technology, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, waste fuel composition, compliance with waste hierarchy, the principles of the Environment Protection Act 1970, environmental management and potential risks to human health and the environment including emissions to air, noise, disposal of fly ash, the wastewater treatment system, and operational contingencies.
When making a final determination of the application, EPA will also consider all public submissions and the outcomes of the community conference.
For further information on EPA’s works approval application process call 1300 EPA VIC (372 842) or visit: www.epa.vic.gov.au/business-and-industry/guidelines/licensing-and-works-approvals/works-approvals-needed