❓ The Department of Environment does not have a specific policy prescribing buffer zones between caustic residue disposal areas and residences, instead relying on case-by-case assessments as per EPA guidance.
AnsweredQoN 790Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Does the Department of Environment have a policy on buffer zones that prescribes the necessary buffer separation between caustic residue disposal areas and nearby residences? (2) If so, what is the prescribed distance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
(2) If so, what is the prescribed distance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
(1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
(2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
(2) If so, what is the prescribed distance? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
(1) The Department of Environment follows the advice provided in the Environmental Protection Authority’s draft guidance statement No 3 titled “Separation Distances between Industrial and Sensitive Land Uses”. The guidance statement provides generic separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses to avoid conflict between these land uses. It takes into account protection of the environment as established by the Environmental Protection Act 1986, with a focus on protecting sensitive land uses from unacceptable impacts that may result from industrial activities, emissions and infrastructure. (2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
(2) The Environmental Protection Authority’s guidance statement recommends that the buffer separation distance between the caustic residue disposal area and nearby residences be determined on a case-by-case basis and does not suggest generic separation distances. Neither the Environmental Protection Authority nor the Department of Environment provides generic guidance on the separation distance for caustic residue disposal areas.
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