BY ISABEL EVERETT
The NSW Environment Protection Authority has issued a penalty notice for $15,000 after an alleged pungent smelling blast fume occurred at Muswellbrook’s Mount Pleasant Mine.
The Muswellbrook community acted immediately, reporting their concerns and photos to EPA’s Environment Line for investigation, following the blast on June 15th 2020, which could be seen and smelt in the vicinity.
Neighbouring properties were impacted with residents reporting they needed to seek shelter from the noxious fume released by the blast.
“Blast fumes from mine sites must be contained within the mine boundary, as they contain oxides of nitrogen that may be harmful to human health at high concentrations”, EPA Acting Director Operations Brett Nudd said.
“This
alleged blast happened under weather conditions that resulted in blast fume
going beyond the mine site and dispersing across neighbouring properties”.
“In
addition, MACH Energy Australia failed to warn their neighbours of the
potential of exposure to blast fume, and members of the community were either
exposed or sought shelter to avoid the blast fume”.
“This
incident was predictable and preventable, and the community should not have
been impacted in this way”.
“The
mining industry must carry out blasts so that they do not cause harm or
interfere with the comfort of the community”.
“The EPA
thanks the concerned Muswellbrook residents who called our Environment Line so
quickly.”
Blast fumes from mines are reddish orange coloured gases with a pungent odour that may be generated during blasting.
Normally gases produced during blasting disperse rapidly within the mine site and pose no acute health risk.
Under certain conditions the gas plume may persist and can affect nearby people or residents who are downwind of the blast site.
Image Credit: Newcastle Herald
