❓ A WA parliamentary question investigates Alcoa's potential use of chemical masking agents in refinery emissions and the DEC's awareness and approval of such practices. The DEC denies knowledge or approval of the practice.
AnsweredQoN 5540Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) aware of the addition of chemical masking agents to refinery emissions by Alcoa?
(2) If yes to (1) -
(a) what chemical masking agents are being used; and
(b) in what quantities are they being used?
(3) Has the DEC given approval for the addition of chemical masking agents to refinery emissions at the Wagerup Alcoa World Alumina Refinery?
(4) If yes to (3) -
(a) what chemical masking agents have been approved; and
(b) what quantities have been approved for use?
(5) If chemical masking agents are in use, will their use have any impact on the air quality monitoring and research currently being undertaken by the DEC and the Yarloop Community?
(6) If yes to (5), how will they impact the research?
(7) If no to (5), why not?
(8) Is the DEC aware of any chemical masking agents in use for the purposes of masking industrial stack and ambient refinery emissions at any industrial premises in Western Australia?
(9) Does the DEC endorse the use of chemical masking agents for industrial emissions?
(2) If yes to (1) -
(a) what chemical masking agents are being used; and
(b) in what quantities are they being used?
(3) Has the DEC given approval for the addition of chemical masking agents to refinery emissions at the Wagerup Alcoa World Alumina Refinery?
(4) If yes to (3) -
(a) what chemical masking agents have been approved; and
(b) what quantities have been approved for use?
(5) If chemical masking agents are in use, will their use have any impact on the air quality monitoring and research currently being undertaken by the DEC and the Yarloop Community?
(6) If yes to (5), how will they impact the research?
(7) If no to (5), why not?
(8) Is the DEC aware of any chemical masking agents in use for the purposes of masking industrial stack and ambient refinery emissions at any industrial premises in Western Australia?
(9) Does the DEC endorse the use of chemical masking agents for industrial emissions?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 October 2007
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
22 days
(1) No.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) No.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) Not applicable.
(7) Not applicable.
(8) The Department of Environment and Conservation is unaware of any site currently using an odour-masking agent or odour-neutralising agent. The Department is aware that trials using odour-masking agents have been undertaken in the past without significant success.
(9) In terms of odour emissions, the Department's preferred approach is to control emissions such that those emissions do not have an unacceptable impact on the community. Masking of odour emissions, as a short-term measure pending resolution of the odour problem may, in some cases, prove effective.
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(2) Not applicable.
(3) No.
(4) Not applicable.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) Not applicable.
(7) Not applicable.
(8) The Department of Environment and Conservation is unaware of any site currently using an odour-masking agent or odour-neutralising agent. The Department is aware that trials using odour-masking agents have been undertaken in the past without significant success.
(9) In terms of odour emissions, the Department's preferred approach is to control emissions such that those emissions do not have an unacceptable impact on the community. Masking of odour emissions, as a short-term measure pending resolution of the odour problem may, in some cases, prove effective.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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