Koppers Fined For Coal Tar Pitch Spill At Port Of Newcastle Wharf

BY IAN  CROUCH

Koppers Carbon Materials and Chemicals at Mayfield North has been fined after spilling coal tar pitch onto the wharf at the Port of Newcastle.

The Environment Protection Authority says around 2,000 litres of pitch was sprayed onto the wharf in March, with some going into the Hunter River while the material was being transferred from a tanker to the main Koppers plant.

The company has been fined $15,000 for the incident, the largest fine the EPA can issue under its legislation.

Koppers arranged a clean up and has changed its practices to ensure the incident doesn't happen again.

Hunter Power Station slapped with fine over leak

BY JAMES CARTER

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority has fined AGL Macquarie $15,000 over an alleged water pollution offence at its Bayswater Power Station at Muswellbrook. 

A fly ash slurry discharge into the Bayswater creek occurred after a leak in a pipeline at the station. 

An investigation into the leak identified that a hole had developed in the ash transfer pipeline on April 5th 2021. 

The material was cleaned up after contractors noticed a drop in flow rate from the fly ash pipeline. 

EPA Director Regulatory Operations North Adam Gilligan said the incident had the potential to cause environmental harm.

“Fly ash slurry deposited over vegetation and settled out in Bayswater Creek which was running at the time following rain.

“This incident was similar, but smaller in scale, to an event in 2019 for which AGL Macquarie has entered into an enforceable undertaking."

The 2019 incident saw 1,440 cubic metres of hazardous coal-ash sludge released into the Bayswater Creek.

The enforceable undertaking requires AGL Macquarie to continue to assess, monitor and eventually replace the aging pipeline. 

The Bayswater Power Station
Image: Supplied

Lake Macquarie waste facility hit with fine for "putrid" smell

BY JARROD MELMETH

An Awaba Waste facility has been fined $8,000 for alleged offensive odours.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority says it received a number of complaints from nearby residents and neighbours about a nauseating smell from the Remondis Australia facility at Awaba on April 14 and 15, 2021.

EPA officers who attended the site immediately detected strong putrid odours which were traced to a stockpile of composting material.

The officers identified that aerators being used to dry out compost following intense rain were discharging putrid air, which was travelling to the nearby community.

EPA Director Regulatory Operations Adam Gilligan said it was unacceptable for the community to be 

impacted by odours.

“People reported feeling nauseous from the overpowering odour.

“Residents should not have to endure smells that make them feel ill.

“We don’t want to see residents unable to enjoy their homes and gardens. 

“The EPA is aware of how this incident affected the surrounding community - every complaint made to our Environment Line is logged and looked into.

“It is an offence for any licenced facility to emit offensive odours to the surrounding community and that is why the EPA has issued this fine," Mr Gilligan said.

Remondis co-operated with the EPA investigation and made changes to the way operations are carried out at the facility, particularly following extreme wet weather.

Aeration equipment is now only used by Remondis during the day and in certain wind conditions, rather than at night when the atmosphere is still, which can cause odours to linger.

Pictured: The waste site at Awaba.
Image: Supplied.

BREAKING! Firefighters Contain Large Diesel Spill At Newcastle Fuel Terminal

 BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters have contained a large diesel spill at a Newcastle fuel depot.

Crews from Newcastle and Carrington along with a Hazmat team responded to an automatic fire alarm at the ATOM Fuel Terminal in Elizabeth Street, Carrington just before 2.30am on Thursday.

They used safety retaining booms, pumps and absorbent to contain an 8,500 litre diesel spill to a gantry on the site.

Newcastle Fire Command says none of the fuel entered local waterways or the drainage system, however the EPA has been notified.

The operation wrapped up just after 4.00am.

Unlawful drainage works threatening town water supply

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE & JARROD MELMETH

Controversial property developer, Phillip Lee is coming under fire from Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and MidCoast Council for alleged unauthorised drainage works at a 2400-hectare property in Tea Gardens, which has the potential to impact the towns water supply.

Fairfax reports that MidCoast council are aware of the works and the potential impacts on the drinking water aquifer, as the potential for prawn and oyster farming to come under threat.

Phillip Lees' company LDF Enterprise own the $22 million property on Viney Creek Road where the works have taken place.

Ms Washington said the property developer is a frequent environmental offender.

"Mr Lee, through his companies, now owns over 3000-hectares of land around Tea Gardens. What we have seen on another site is a proposal for a very large scale development that is currently under Land and Environment Court orders from what we have seen happen on that site already. Significant fines have been imposed but, they have meant nothing to Mr Lee and his company. This man owns a $40 million Point Piper mansion. The fines mean nothing and the response from the agencies needs to be fast and it needs to be fierce and so far we have seen very little," Ms Washington said.

Ms Washington said she will be raising the issue in Parliament on Tuesday.

"Out of sheer frustration, I will be raising this issue in Parliament. I sought a briefing from the Minister for the Environment in January and yet, I got no reasonable response. The agencies knew about this in December and yet an EPA representative set foot on-site just last week," Ms Washington said.

Aerial photo of the drainage works on Mr Lees' property in Tea Gardens.
Image: Domain.

"It's Wicked What They've Done to Us": Kim-Leeanne King on the Government's Non-Response to the Williamtown Contamination

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's the town residents want to escape from, but they simply can't.

The PFAS contamination of Williamtown, or the red zone, has been plaguing the residents since the scandal was revealed in September 2015.

Kim-Leeanne King is just one of the many who lives along Cabbage Tree Road, one of the areas within the primary contaminated zones from PFAS. It's also the same road of a possible "cancer cluster" after Fairfax revealed at least 24 people who had lived on the road over the past 15 years had been diagnosed with cancer.

The cancer cluster reports were revealed earlier this year and labelled as being "too large to be coincidental" by One Nation Senator Brian Burston.

Kim-Leeanne has seen the effects of cancer firsthand after her father died of bowel cancer in 2005.

"Thyroid and colon cancer are known factors and the fact that my father was eating the vegetables that were grown here, I think that only adds to the worry that the rest of us have now, it's not if we get cancer but when we get it," said Kim-Leeanne.


The 47-year-old mother has always thought something wasn't quite right; her daughter suffers from various allergies and she herself has had a medical scare of her own this year.

The boundary of her property backs onto the heavily contaminated Lake Cochrane, adding to her suspicions about the chemical making her family, and her livestock, sick.

"I am resourceful, so I have done my own research on these chemicals and certainly what we are being told is different to what's happening overseas so we are doing everything that we possibly can. We no longer eat our own vegetables which we used to water with bore water."

Not eating anything grown on properties in Williamtown is one of the precautions laid out in guidelines published by both the Department of Defence and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the precautions though vary. Defence says it's alright to eat some things grown in certain areas, whereas the EPA urge residents not to eat anything grown anywhere within the red zone.

"Don't come in contact with surface water, don't do this, don't do that. I mean they're telling us all there are no known health effects, you're pretty safe, you're this you're that. But if they're telling us all of this why are they putting these precautions out there if they're not worried themselves?"

When it comes to taking precautions, Kim-Leeanne says they don't even let their grandson go outside and play for fear of what the chemicals in the ground may do to his health.

"He can't even go out in the yard and play. How sad is that? And this is Australia. And all the politicians are worried about in Canberra is their dual citizenship and saving their own political lives. It's a disgrace. A national disgrace."

Now Kim-Leeanne is just begging for an escape.

"That's the saddest thing. there's no way out. And then how do you replace what you've spent a lifetime building and doing... and I don't know... even just the sentimental value of things. It's wicked what they've done to us."

Cabbage Tree Road.

"We're being abandoned": Williamtown Contamination Saga Sees No End

BY JESSICA ROUSE

"We're being abandoned."

It's how residents living in the Williamtown red zone feel after the Department of Defence came to give them yet another map of the contaminated area and revised guidelines on how to deal with it.

More than 250 residents packed into the Murrook Cultural Centre last night to see an updated Human Health Risk Assessment from Defence including a new map with four colour-coded risk zones, which appears different to the one issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) just two weeks ago.

The risk assessment aimed to assess the potential human health risks of exposure to PFAS impacted soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, seafood, and others.

The four risk zones carry varying levels of contamination. Defence also issued its own set of precautionary guidelines for each of the zones. In the risk assessment, Defence advises residents to follow the precautions to "minimise their exposure to PFAS pending further information becoming available."

But it's feeling like too little too late for residents who are begging for an escape.

Lindsay Clout, the President of the Fullerton Cove Residents Action group believes the meeting last night was a joke.

"Make no mistake what happened last night was the Department of Defence walking away from the responsibility of this contamination. They spent two hours last night telling us that we, the community, now have to manage the impacts of this contamination."

"It's more of the same, which is nothing. I mean, the Department of Defence must have the biggest mirror in the country because pretty well every question that was asked of them last night their response was 'we will look into it'," said Lindsay.

Department of Defence representatives admitted no human blood tests were included in the data they collected to create their map of the contamination zone, adding to the frustration of residents.

"[Port Stephens MP] Kate Washington asked the question 'was there any blood testing results included in the construction of the map' and the answer was no. And she asked 'how is it a human health risk assessment can be presented without human health results?' And the disturbing thing is that defence didn't even understand the question," said Lindsay.

Lindsay couldn't believe the incompetence he witnessed at last night's meeting particularly when it came to Defence's list of guidelines for residents.

"But the paradox of the whole issue is, Defence keep putting out this statement that there are no known health impacts from the chemical, yet they're telling us don't eat your eggs, don't grow your vegetables in the contaminated area, don't drink the bore water, you have to be cautious with this, you have to be cautious with that,"

"And then they tell us well it shouldn't really matter because there are no known health impacts from it. It's just out of control."

EPA v. Department of Defence

In early November, the red zone was expanded to include another 250 properties in Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash.

The EPA's map and report were based on the same data as Defence's map but they instead divide the area up into three zones. In one zone, the risk is high and strict restrictions are in place and in the two other zones contamination is either confirmed or potentially present and those have less strict precautions.

"The Defence risk assessment provides people with some background to the science and the data but we recommend that people focus on the EPA map which provides them with all of the information that they need to follow the precautions and keep themselves safe on their properties," said Northern Region Director of the EPA Adam Gilligan.

Environment Protection Authority map fo the contaminated zone.

Department of Defence map of the contaminated red zone.

There are differing precautions listed between Defence and the EPA. For instance according to Defence eating home-grown fruit and vegetables is acceptable in some areas, but according to the EPA guidelines, all residents are advised not to eat anything grown on their properties.

Adam Gilligan said they understand the horrible time residents are having and want to help holding numerous drop-in sessions, and are happy to meet with residents one-on-one.

He adds now it's also time to move into an ongoing management phase at the site because the contamination isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"So we are continuing to work with Defence to get more done to stop contamination leaving the base first and foremost and also do ongoing monitoring to make sure that we continue to assess the levels of contamination in the environment."

The EPA was at two information sessions being held today in Williamtown, and will be at Salt Ash Primary School tomorrow from 3:30pm until 6pm for any residents who couldn't go along today.

The EPA's findings and advice can be found here.

The summary of the Department of Defence's risk assessment can be found here.

In the end, Lindsay said it's all infuriated him even further and he doesn't know who to believe.

"Well, in my opinion, none of it. The only person I believe has any credibility on this issue at all is Professor Mary O'Kane, NSW Chief Scientist but they don't seem to be listening to her."

 "I just despair at where we're going, we're being abandoned, and now we're being given the responsibility to deal with contamination."

Williamtown PFAS Chemical Footprint Expanded

BY IAN CROUCH

More homes have been caught up in the Williamtown contamination crisis.

An expert panel appointed to assess the human health risk has expanded the so-called red zone following the release of new data showing the potential toxic plume is larger than first thought.

A further 250 families in Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash now face restrictions on what they can eat and drink on their properties.

Environment Protection Authority Chair, Barry Buffier has this health advice for affected residents.

"Don't use any other form of water apart from reticulated water. It's that ingestion - that accidental ingestion which is the key message," he said.

NSW EPA Chairman Barry Buffier, NSW Chief Scientist Mary O'Kane and Parliamentary Secretary for The Hunter Scot MacDonald Announce The Revised Contamination Footprint Picture theherald.com.au

Heddon Greta Skip Bin Company Hit with Hefty Fine

BY JESSICA ROUSE

They've only been in operation for six months, but already a Heddon Greta skip bin company has been hit with a hefty fine for illegally dumping waste.

Needa Skip Bin was fined $15,000 for taking 12 loads of waste to a property in Keinbah near Kurri Kurri  - using it to fill depressions in the land.

The waste included bricks, masonry and concrete.

It was also found that they burnt timber and asbestos on the property.

The Environmental Protection Authority has also ordered the company to remove the waste from the property as well as pay the fine.

Shoal Bay Beach Closures

by MATT JOHNSTON

Swimmers on the Tomaree Peninsula are warned that Shoal Bay Beach is currently closed. A storm-water drain was blocked, which caused a waste-water to spill into the ocean.

NSW Health and the Environmental Protection Authority were notified, later putting up no swim signs. Environmental officers are on site monitoring the situation.

Hunter Water has since stopped the backup of waste-water, meaning conditions should start to improve before too long.

As of yet, there is no information on when the beach will re-open.

Photo - VisitNSW

Pollutants found outside Williamtown red zone

BY MICHAEL COOK

The New South Wales environmental watchdog has agreed to reconsider the boundaries of Williamtown's contamination red zone following evidence that firefighting chemicals have been found outside the border.

A couple in Fullerton Cove who live outside the red zone have returned alarming blood test results showing they contained harmful chemicals more than 10 times above the national average for their age.

Residents in the area are bemused after they said they were verbally reassured they should not be alarmed by NSW Environment Protection Authority officials.

NSW Shadow Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe says more needs to be done for residents living near the red zone.

"We need to know how far this contamination is impacting on people and the EPA needs to take action," she said.

Contaminated water has been leaking from the RAAF base for years
Source: http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/williamtown-water-contamination-highlights-dangers-of-pfos-and-pfoa/news-story/90ad98e6fe99fe78641d91a7e9596a3c

Rio Tinto Fined Over Dam Wall Collapse At Upper Hunter Mine

BY IAN CROUCH

Mining giant, Rio Tinto has been fined $50,000 over the collapse of a dam wall at it's Mount Thorley Warkworth Mine near Singleton.

Hundreds of thousands of litres of water escaped from the dam when the incident occurred in January last year.

The company blamed the collapse on several days of heavy rain.

The Land and Environment Court ruled that while harm from the incident was insubstantial, the failure of the dam was both forseeable and preventable.

Hunter Water cops a hefty fine

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Hunter Water has copped a $15,000 fine after they were found to have leaks and poor maintenance at their Dungog Water Treatment Plant.

The Dungog plant treats water from the Chichester Dam.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued the fine after a site inspection in May when officers uncovered several pipes suffering from contamination build up and corrosion. They say some leaks if left unchecked, could potentially flow into the stormwater system.

It's the second time Hunter Water has been found to have poor maintenance practices - the EPA also fined them last year when heavily chlorinated water leaked into a local creek because of a faulty pump at the Dungog site. Hunter Water did plead guilty to the charges.

It was determined that poor maintenance practices had led to that particular incident. In the end, the fines and court costs imposed on the company for the offences totalled more than a quarter of a million dollars.

EPA Director Karen Marler says it was disappointing to see inadequacies in maintenance practices this year, given the previous prosecution taken by the EPA.

Image nbnnews.com.au

Cessnock residents asked to clean up their act

BY JARROD MELMETH

A notorious illegal dumping ground on McLeod Road in Loxford has been cleaned up and Cessnock City Council is hoping it stays that way.

Cleaning up the 22.4 hectare site was no easy task and Council worked closely with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Crown Lands and local company Goninan & Sons to get the job done.

The project involved removing 78.6 tonnes of waste, installing fencing around the site and putting in three gates for access to services.

The waste removed from the site included 7.92 tonnes of asbestos, 28 tyres, 12 needles, whitegoods and general household rubbish.

Cessnock City Mayor, Councillor Bob Pynsent said he was disgusted the site got to this point and is calling on the community to clean up their act.

“One of the concerning things in this clean-up was the amount of children’s toys and items such as prams and car seats, indicating families are some of the key offenders.

“If kids are in tow when parents are dumping rubbish in bushland, it sends a message that this is OK, which is highly concerning,”Cr Pynsent said.

In an effort to educate the community and prevent further illegal dumping, Council also distributed a brochure to all residents in Loxford, Kurri Kurri, Clifleigh, Standford Methyr and Weston.
This project was funded by the NSW EPA through the Waste Less Recycle More initiative, funded by the waste levy. 

The dumping site at Loxford. 

A Good Sign for Air Quality in the Hunter

BY: ARIANA GATTI

The latest reports from the NSW Environment Protection Authority and the Office of Environment and Heritage has released the air quality in Newcastle and the Upper Hunter was generally good over the last summer period.

The reports from the 1st of December 2016 to the 28th of February this year shown levels of nitrogen dioxide, ammonia and other fine particulate matter were below national benchmarks.

Only one slip in air quality was recorded in Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter during December last year when a sulfur dioxide spike was recognised.

The high particle levels usually recorded throughout the summer period are often attributed to the influence of dry, hot and windy conditions, along with bush fire movements and dust generation.

EPA Hunter Director, Karen Marler believe meteorology has a lot to do with the quality in air.

"We did see some increases in fine particulate emissions on the really hot and dry summer days and often those are due to increased bush fires in the region,"she said.

However, Marler is positive air quality will remain in good condition even as the winter months present its own issues with wood heaters.

"We're also doing a lot of work around wood heater emissions and improving standards with these emissions as well," she says.

[Image sourced: http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/]

Orica's Kooragang Island facility cops fine

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's thought a discharge of algae inside a pipe at Kooragang Island is what landed Orica Australia a $15,000 fine from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

The incident was reported to the EPA on 9th March this year, just one day after it occurred.

The EPA said it's likely sediments were also dislodged resulting in concentrations of suspended solids, zinc and arsenic in the effluent becoming higher than the levels permitted by Orica's environment protection license.  

It's not the first time Orica has been fined by the EPA, there was another incident in October 2013 where they were fined $1,500 for exceeding their effluent concentration limits - also attributed to algae build-up.

They were also most recently cautioned in December 2016.

Compost facility near dam approved with conditions

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

A controversial compost plant in the Lower Hunter has been approved, as long as it abides by strict restrictions and regulations.

The Land and Environment Court approved the Gardenland composting site, which operates near Seven Mile Creek on Wednesday.

A compost plant will operate near Grahamstown Dam [Picture: Hunter Water].

Seven Mile Creek is a feeder into the Grahamstown Dam, a major source of drinking water for much of the Hunter.

Environment Protection Authority composting expert Anthony Dixon told the Court the facility would be required to adopt a higher standard than the current minimum composting guidelines.

Hunter Water manages the region's dams - including Grahamstown Dam, which provides 40 per cent of the area's water - and are pleased with the new regulations.

"Some of these [regulations] are quite arduous so there's a lot that needs to be done at this business before it is able to operate," Hunter Water spokesperson Nick Kaiser said.

"It's something that we're very pleased about here at Hunter Water because it means better protection of the Grahamstown Dam."

Mr Kaiser said Hunter Water worked closely with the EPA in developing the restrictions and will continue to do so.

"The composting operation near Grahamstown Dam will be regularly inspected by the EPA," he said

"As part of the regulation and as part of the ruling by the Land and Environment Court, they [Gardenlands] will be subject to strict supervision."

The compost facility will operate nearby Seven Mile Creek, which feeds into the Grahamstown Dam and its water quality has already been questioned before the facility.

But, Mr Kaiser said it would unreasonable to consider closing or blocking the creek.

"Closing down the creek, or trying to block the creek in any way, would not make environmental sense," he said.

He said there would be issues with "flooding upstream" as well as not enough water coming into the Dam.

"What's a much more viable solution is to better manage the catchment around the area, such as with regulations around the development of the area."

PFOS testing in Moors Drain at Williamtown RAAF Base

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority responded to community concerns last month following complaints of visible foam residue surrounding the Williamtown RAAF Base.

New testing results have shown a mystery foam residue in Moors Drain near Nelson Bay Road   appears to have pulled the chemical perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from the water into the foam, creating a higher concentration of the chemical.

The residue is likely to have been caused by the presence of a foaming agent such as a cleaning detergent.

EPA Regional Director Adam Gilligan says the levels found aren't indicative of PFOS levels in the surrounding environment and no action is necessary at this stage, despite the levels being more than 1280 times the safe level for drinking water in the United States.

"The levels within the foam residue are quite high however it is a very small amount that's concentrated within that foam residue and we're expecting that to dissipate back into the environment."

The defence department will continue to monitor the area and Mr Gilligan says work on strategies to reduce contaminates leaving the base in surface water will also continue.

"What we've found is that water in that vicinity had levels that we would expect within the investigation area of around two micrograms per litre. However the foam residue itself had quite high levels, around 90 micrograms per litre. We're satisfied these levels don't reflect the overall levels in the environment in the area."

Williamtown RAAF Base Recieving Report on Health Concerns

BY BRIDGET GUNN

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has received a draft Human Health Risk Assessment report regarding the heath risks associated with contamination from the Williamtown RAAF Base.

The report should provide the EPA with the information necessary to review the precautionary restrictions and extent of the investigation area that has taken place over the last year.

This information will be used to develop a more effective medical health service for the Williamtown community.

Williamtown RAAF Base
Source: KOFM

EPA Continues Bengalla Investigation

The Environment Protection Authority is continuing its investigations in to the Rio Tinto owned Bengalla mine, near Musswellbrook.

The overflow follows heavy rainfall in the Hunter earlier this month.

EPA officers began interviews on Monday, while also carrying out an inspection and gathering water and sediment samples for testing.

So far, no pollution to water sources has been found.

EPA Hunter General Manger, Adam Gilligan says both parties have been able to coperate.

"Our officers worked with the mine on Monday and were pleased to see that they commenced dewatering of those dams so that they could get the water levels down.

"Particularly that's important before any further rainfall or storm event that might cause further overflowing."

A section of Bengalla's sediment dam

The EPA have also confirmed they are looking for additional information from the mine operator, including monitoring records and incident response details.

It's the third Hunter mine this month which has seen overflowing, with Warkworth mine (also Tinto owned) and Wambo mine being investigated for potential pollution.

"Certainly [it's] a concern to us that we've had a spade of these issues arising following the recent heavy rainfall" said Mr. Gilligan.

"What concern's us is making sure the sediment dames, etc on mine sites are constructed properly."

Image courtesy of John Crey, via The Singleton Argus (LINK).