❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses concerns about air quality monitoring around Cockburn Cement, specifically referencing video footage of alleged ashfall and discrepancies between reported pollution levels and community experiences. The Minister's response details monitoring station locations, investigation of the video evidence, and ongoing efforts to improve environmental practices at the site.
AnsweredQoN 258Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many air quality monitoring stations are in place around Cockburn Cement?
(2) Where are these stations located in relation to the stacks?
(3) Referring to the amateur video film taken a few weeks ago and shown on television news indicating ash raining in Cockburn, has the Minister or anyone in the Department of Environment spoken to the person who filmed the ash and ascertained when the film was taken?
(4) If so, will the Minister please give details?
(5) Given the Department of Environmental Protection is saying that pollution limits were not exceeded, how does the Minister reconcile this with the video footage and personal experience of the people of Cockburn?
(2) Where are these stations located in relation to the stacks?
(3) Referring to the amateur video film taken a few weeks ago and shown on television news indicating ash raining in Cockburn, has the Minister or anyone in the Department of Environment spoken to the person who filmed the ash and ascertained when the film was taken?
(4) If so, will the Minister please give details?
(5) Given the Department of Environmental Protection is saying that pollution limits were not exceeded, how does the Minister reconcile this with the video footage and personal experience of the people of Cockburn?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 December 2002
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
28 days
(2) One permanent station is located on Miguel Road, Yangebup approximately 3 kilometres north of the Munster premises. The second station is situated on Tomislav Place, Wattelup approximately 4 kilometres south of the site. The third station is located in Fanstone Avenue, Munster approximately 700 metres from stack 6 at the Munster site. The temporary station was deployed in Britannia Avenue, Munster some 1 kilometre north of the site. (3) Footage shown on the television news, referred to by the Member, relates to two separate video films taken by local residents. The first video relates to an alleged event in September 2000 and was referred to and assessed by the independent auditors who completed the recent review into Cockburn Cement Limited's (CCL) Munster operations. The second footage relates to an alleged event on 23 October 2002. A Department of Environmental Protection Officer has spoken to the person who filmed this footage and established that it was taken between 11 - 11:30pm on 23 October 2002. (4) The footage relating to September 2000 was referred to in the audit report but could not be conclusively linked to an event at CCL. As part of the investigation into this latest incident the DEP is currently reviewing the footage on 23 October 2002. The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
(3) Footage shown on the television news, referred to by the Member, relates to two separate video films taken by local residents. The first video relates to an alleged event in September 2000 and was referred to and assessed by the independent auditors who completed the recent review into Cockburn Cement Limited's (CCL) Munster operations. The second footage relates to an alleged event on 23 October 2002. A Department of Environmental Protection Officer has spoken to the person who filmed this footage and established that it was taken between 11 - 11:30pm on 23 October 2002. (4) The footage relating to September 2000 was referred to in the audit report but could not be conclusively linked to an event at CCL. As part of the investigation into this latest incident the DEP is currently reviewing the footage on 23 October 2002. The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
(4) The footage relating to September 2000 was referred to in the audit report but could not be conclusively linked to an event at CCL. As part of the investigation into this latest incident the DEP is currently reviewing the footage on 23 October 2002. The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
(5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
(3) Footage shown on the television news, referred to by the Member, relates to two separate video films taken by local residents. The first video relates to an alleged event in September 2000 and was referred to and assessed by the independent auditors who completed the recent review into Cockburn Cement Limited's (CCL) Munster operations. The second footage relates to an alleged event on 23 October 2002. A Department of Environmental Protection Officer has spoken to the person who filmed this footage and established that it was taken between 11 - 11:30pm on 23 October 2002. (4) The footage relating to September 2000 was referred to in the audit report but could not be conclusively linked to an event at CCL. As part of the investigation into this latest incident the DEP is currently reviewing the footage on 23 October 2002. The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
(4) The footage relating to September 2000 was referred to in the audit report but could not be conclusively linked to an event at CCL. As part of the investigation into this latest incident the DEP is currently reviewing the footage on 23 October 2002. The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
The Department is working with the Community and CCL to improve environmental practices at CCL's Munster premises. Measures are in place to control and reduce both stack and ambient dust emissions and to ensure compliance with the initiatives by CCL. (5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
(5) The Department is currently investigating the event that occurred on 23 October 2002. It has not yet made a decision as to whether any licence stack emission limits, Environmental Protection Policy limits or National Environment Protection Measures have been exceeded. The video footage supplied from the 23 October 2002 and personal complaints that were received are currently being considered as part of this investigation. In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
In considering the outcomes of the investigation against the Department's Enforcement and Prosecution Guidelines, it is unlikely that the video footage alone could be used to determine enforcement action without further corroborating evidence. The September 2000 incident that was shown on television has been dealt with as part of the independent audit review.
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