Locals surrounding Cockburn Cement Limited (CCL), state and federal toxics campaigners like myself and ACE etc, and it seems some local politicians are gearing up to take on Cockburn Cement over its ongoing pollution and plans to burn contaminated waste oil.
Cockburn Cement has very long and very poor record of emissions impacting the local community. Along with that we have an equally poor record of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC - formely DEP, DEWCAP, DOE etc. - Name changes won't change the fact) failure to appropriately regulate CCL.
Erin Brocovich's Austrailia Legal Team are apparently still looking into allegations of health effects from years of pollution fallout.
Appeals have been submitted to the government against the Environmental Protection Authorities (EPA) decision not to access the proposal - An outline of the appeals and the alledged appauling attempt by CCL and EPA to mislead the community on the intention of the advertised proposal will be covered in a blog post to follow.
The bottom line is Cockburn Cement cannot control its emissions to levels satisfactory to avoid impact on the local community, and it won't be able to do so until scrubber systems that will do the job are installed.
The DEC have never demonstrated that it is capable of, or willing to (or maybe even allowed to) regulate Cockburn Cement in a satisfactory fashion, in fact quite the opposite has been the case.
So why on earth would Cockburn Cement Limited, its parent Adelaide Brighton, the WA Government, EPA and DEC even contemplate the proposal to burn contaminated waste oil and dump more pollution on the community?
Lots more to come soon on this issue.
Cockburn Cement has very long and very poor record of emissions impacting the local community. Along with that we have an equally poor record of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC - formely DEP, DEWCAP, DOE etc. - Name changes won't change the fact) failure to appropriately regulate CCL.
Erin Brocovich's Austrailia Legal Team are apparently still looking into allegations of health effects from years of pollution fallout.
Appeals have been submitted to the government against the Environmental Protection Authorities (EPA) decision not to access the proposal - An outline of the appeals and the alledged appauling attempt by CCL and EPA to mislead the community on the intention of the advertised proposal will be covered in a blog post to follow.
The bottom line is Cockburn Cement cannot control its emissions to levels satisfactory to avoid impact on the local community, and it won't be able to do so until scrubber systems that will do the job are installed.
The DEC have never demonstrated that it is capable of, or willing to (or maybe even allowed to) regulate Cockburn Cement in a satisfactory fashion, in fact quite the opposite has been the case.
So why on earth would Cockburn Cement Limited, its parent Adelaide Brighton, the WA Government, EPA and DEC even contemplate the proposal to burn contaminated waste oil and dump more pollution on the community?
Lots more to come soon on this issue.
9 comments:
Well Steve, firstly the picture doesn't look right. It looks a little odd.
What comes out of the stacks is only steam. The precipitation system removes the dust. If this trips out there are measures in place to minimize emmisions. The dust the community complains about is mainly wind swept dust (The dust from CCL that is) and this issue is being looked into.
The point about burning waste oils (any waste really) is that the temperature the kilns burns at is high enough to completely volatilize (burn up) the fuel. Cement plants all around the world use all sorts of waste products to run their kilns.
Another point I would like to make is that the cement industry makes use of a lot of waste from other industry. Flyash from power stations, spent catalyst, etc. CCL has the ability the reduce the waste mounting up from other industries considerably if it were allowed by the DEP.
One last thing to remember. CCL was here before the houses. A decision was made by homeowners to build next to the plant. Maybe they should of done a little more homework first...
Oh no, not another industry claim that 'it's only steam' I really would have thought that industry surely by now knows better than to try and pull that one!
I have seen the results of the stack tests etc and it is a lot more than only steam coming out of those stacks. For example the Dioxin results of CCL stack tests where frightening but CCL didn't reduce the Dioxin emissions they just stopped testing and instead artificially reduced the emissions figure reported to the NPI by using an industry wide guestimate!
It has been proven time and time again that the source of particulate pollution in the local community is not only fugitive dust from CCL's roads etc but largely from the stacks after the ESP's (Electrostatic precipitators)that DO NOT remove all the dust.
Anyway how long does it take to look into fugitive dust emissions the problem has been there many many years.
The contaminants in waste oil or indeed any other material burnt in the kilns does not just magically disappear the contaminants either end up in the cement/lime or it comes out of the stacks - not all pollution (indeed the nastier) is visible.
Because some other cement plant somewhere else in the world burns something that doesnt make it right for example Europe also has incineration of waste which has resulted in wide spread Dioxin contamination and Europe has Nuclear Power that doesnt mean we have to make the same mistakes. Besides until CCL can control its emissions to stop impacting the community it should not even consider alternative fuels. Cement kilns where designed to make cement not burn waste products that should be recycled - burning is not recycling.
To suggest that the problem is housing has built up around the plant is the cause of the problem is a cop out, this is not the cause it is only assisting to highlight the problem... It doesn't really matter what came first, the fact remains that under environmental protection laws CCL is not allowed to impact the health or amenity of the local community... What the local community (still after all these years) needs is for the authorities such as DEC to do their job and enforce those laws.
Maybe management of Adelaide Brighton should try breathing in some of the so-called steam coming out of its stacks, and living beneath it. It doesn't matter who was there first - without the houses the pollution would still be coming out. Besides the council gave planning permission to build there, and the buyers were not given any warning they were going to be inundated with toxic waste before they bought. Yangebup residents suffer just as much and we can't even see the cement factory, let alone guess that our properties would be dumping grounds for airborne emissions.
I bought a land at Lake Coogee Garden Estate. According to the Western Australia Planning Commission - the land, and the rest of the subdivision, is out of the industry pollution and Water Corporation buffer zones. I now wander how legitimate is this report? Should I deliberately drop my finance for a non-approval loan?
I'm sorry Shell but I don't think it's my place to give you that advice, however what I can say is;
The WAPC is probably right in saying that area is outside the buffer zones, however that doesn't really mean a great deal because history shows that pollution from CCL carries a lot further and doesnt just stop because of a line for buffer zone drawn on a map.
It is probably pertinent to ask ourselves the question; actually how much does industry and all these government department like WAPC, Landcorp, DEC, DOIR etc actually care about us or our families being exposed to pollution? Again history shows they don't care all that much, I don't think that has changed.
At the end of the day I think that needs to be kept in mind ie... WE need to protect ourselves and our families because those that are paid to do the job won't.
Best Wishes
Good morning again. Ok, sorry, I was wrong there. There are certain contaminants in the stack emmisions. CCL did stop stack testing and instead contracted the job out. So the issue hasn't been ignored or figures made up, the numbers come from outside sources.
Where is the info about proving the particulate polution mainly comes from the stacks? I'd like to have a look at that.
What people need to remember is that the emmisions from the stacks are well below international standards. Whatever industry is around, there is always going to be some sort of polution from it.
As far as alternative power goes (nuclear, etc). Personally I prefer wind, solar or hydro stations. Unfortunately, Australia is still stuck in the habit of burning coal. I've got nothing against Nuclear. It is quite safe, unfortunately people see Chernobyl and that's it.
I didn't say at any point that the build up of housing was the cause of the problem. Yes it assist in highlighting an issue. However, most industries, such as mining must include a buffer zone around operations to minimize impact on communities.
I do know people who live around the area and they have mentioned the smell is bad sometimes. Quite a few of the dust and odour complaints are actually found to come from market gardens as well.
Look, I agree with you. It is an issue. But you really have to remember that where ever industry is, there are people. As the communities get larger and closer to the industrial process, there will be complaints. I'm sorry for those people who unknowingly buy homes near industry. But really, you can't expect the whole plant to pick up and move because of that. These issues are there and they are being looked into. Unfortunately Steve, you seem to be informing people that industry and government regulatory bodies don't care which is just untrue. You can't fix all the problems overnight. Some problems take a very long time to solve if they are at all possible to fix.
Should all the cement plants in the world shut down until the problem can be rectified? I don't think people would like that outcome. How about the power stations burning coal. Should we stop them too?
I think that informing people of the issue is great. Awareness makes things happen. Maybe making some good suggestions would help. Putting our heads together will fix things quicker. What you seem to be doing Steve is informing but also causing a rift and scaring people.
Do you have any good ideas on fixing the problem Steve?
Anom,
I don't know that I should be putting my time and energy into this debate because;
It is well proven over many years that Cockburn Cement (CCL) has not appropriately managed its emissions.
It has also been well proven that the Department of Environment and Conservation (previously DEP, DEWCAP DOE etc) has not appropriately regulated this company.
For example for both of the above: parliamentary record "As the honourable member is no doubt aware, the minister initiated an independent audit of Cockburn Cement Ltd’s Munster operations and the Department of Environmental Protection’s regulation of these premises. The
audit was released in August 2002 and highlighted significant deficiencies in both Cockburn Cement Ltd’s
management and the department’s regulation of the site". This is the link: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/hansard/hans35.nsf/%28ATT%29/011413E054A693EA48256D86001568AE/$file/C36+S2+20030812+p9583b-9583b.pdf
According to these reports CCL was exceeding its limits of Sulphur Dioxide emissions from its stacks. It is also stated on parliamentary record: "which was reported on page 1 of the Cockburn City Herald of 9 August 2003, that Cockburn Cement Ltd has breached its sulfur dioxide emission limits for at least the past 18 months" (Same link as above.
I have worked for amny years on the problems and Cockburn Cement... I was heavily involved in the audit process, infact it was us that had the Government commission the audits. I have read the audit reports many times. I have been on CCL community group, you suggest we should put out heads together - no thanks I have been there and done that for too many years of my life, it is more akin to banging ones head against a brick wall...
I have never suggest that CCL be 'shutdown' I am of the believe that CCL emissions can be improved by installing the correct technology (scrubber/filter systems and by burning clean fuel not waste products and dirty coal.
In my view CCL and the Govt are fully aware of the problems and how to fix them all that is needed is the will to fix it.
And yes I believe we should faze out coal burning power stations, because climate change is here and climate change real.
Have you actually read the audits into Cockburn Cement and the DEC regulation of Cockburn Cement?
A couple of things:
1. CCL license expires 30 April 2010. If you have something to say get your letters in by tomorrow!
2. Join our facebook page "Your Voice about Cockburn Cement" - regular updates on progress. We currently have 35 fans and are looking to build this. Download a flyer for the rally.
3. Comunity Rally against Cockburn Cement is being held next weekend:
Date: Sat 8th May 2010
Time: 11am
Location: Russel Road - front gates of CCL.
Please post and get the work out there to as many people as you can.
Firstly I don’t believe in the "nothing has been proved so nothing exists" scenario. My grandfather died of lung cancer after working at Cockburn cement for over 30years. Blamed on other factors. My aunt has lived nearby and her home almost backed onto Cockburn cement for 30 years and hence she may die any week or so from now. Is this just another "Cockburn cement scenario" or a "family incident", seems too coincidental to me. All of us in Cockburn have smelt that Cockburn Cement smell.. What does 30years of that do to one’s body??? Those who could answer that question are no longer here. Maybe it’s time to do some serious investigations??
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