Cockburn Cement Waste Oil Burning Issue Heats Up

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.

Tiwest gassed 9 workers yesterday...

And the authorities still claim there is no iminent risk...

What The?

CFMEU, CEPU and AMWU meeting this morning at Tiwest

I attended a union meeting outside Tiwest this morning. Sadly this day and age with the ridiculous IR laws we have in this country, there is not a lot that can be done.

How can these workers be expected to rely on authorities like worksafe (who have allegedly been told to go soft on Tiwest and claim there is no risk even after 9 workers gassed)?

Just who is protecting the workers and the community in Kwinana?

Udate 1, 1400hrs 16-03-10: Tiwest claim only 5 gassings ie; 4 in morning 1 in afternoon. Union and workers maintain the number is 9.

Update 2: Although workers went back to work on the Tiwest site, they (with support of their unions) refused to work in the area in question.

Update 3, Friday 19-03-10: Article on the gassings in Community Newspaper; Men 'Gassed': Union.

Tiwest gas releases out of control again

More Toxic Gas Released... Four More People Gassed

I some time ago, stated that it was pleasing that Tiwest seemed to be lifting its game in regards to gas releases and gassings...

I take it all back as it seems Tiwest Kwinana are once again out of control with numerous releases and gassings over recent months and this morning another 4 workers gassed then another uncontrolled release this afternoon.

It is believed that rather than stopping its gas releases Tiwest have been underestimating the levels of emissions so authorities are not alerted.

An example of how the levels of releases are classified are: 1 contained to area of initial release, 2 spread to surrounding area within the boundry of Tiwest, 3 release could or does extend outside boundry of Tiwest and could affect neighbors and must be reported to authorities.

It has also been alleged that Tiwest is treating gassed workers on site rather than sending them to external medical centres to avoid notification of gassings to Government authorities.

I believe the authorities know full well what is going on because they have been told by myself and others.

Today it has been stated that the authorities on the ground are being told to go softly on Tiwest.

Here is a blog post history on some of Tiwest's emissions.

The gasses in question are usually Chlorine (Cl2) and Titanium Tetrachloride (TiCl4).

The most frightening thing about Tiwest is they are currently expanding the plant which will significantly increase throughput and likely result in an increase in risk of emissions/releases/incidents.

Update 1: Tiwest had another incident this afternoon, bring the total to 9 gassed workers for the day.
Update 2: Numbering sequence of levels of releases corrected.