Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Agriculture and Food regarding Lynas's field trials of solid residues from their Malaysian plant in WA canola fields, focusing on permissions, testing, and import regulations. The Minister confirms no specific state permission was required, testing occurred, and Lynas provided results for tabling.

AnsweredQoN 1317Legislative Council
Asked
19 June 2014
Portfolio
Agriculture and Food

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to pages 1 and 6 from the
"2013-10-29 Lynas ASX Release - CEO Address AGM" located at http://www
.robinchapple.com/pages-2013-10-29-lynas-asx-release , and page 6 of the
document which refers to trials in Western Australian canola fields of the use
of solid residues emanating from the water leached purification system from the
Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), near Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia, and I
ask: (a) where are these field trials
occurring; (b) was permission granted by
the Minister for these field trials to occur; (c) if no to (b), why not; (d) if
yes to (b), why; (e) has the chemical
composition of the solid residues emanating from the water leached purification
system been tested for chemical and or radioactive material; (f) if no to (e), why not; (g) if yes to (e), will the Minister table the
results of those tests; (h) was
permission sought from the Minister to import the solid residues emanating from
the water leached purification from the LAMP in Malaysia; (i) if no to (h), why not; (j) if yes to (h), when did this occur; (k) if yes to (h), was permission granted or
refused; and (l) if permission was
granted in respect of (k), will the Minister table documentatation to support
that decision?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
12 August 2014
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food
Response time
54 days
(a) I am not aware of the specific location in Western Australia of the Lynas trials.
(b) No
(c) There is no requirement for permission from the Minister for Agriculture to conduct fertiliser field trials in Western Australia. The Department of Agriculture and Food WA has not been involved in these trials. The material must meet the import requirements for fertiliser under both Federal and State legislation.
(d) Not applicable
(e) Yes
(f) Not applicable
(g) The results of independent testing have been provided by Lynas who have agreed to them being tabled.
[see Tabled Paper No.]
(h) No
(i) There is no need for specific permissions from the State Minister for Agriculture and Food. The material is subject to the normal State and Federal import requirements for fertilisers. Lynas has advised that it has received an import permit for the product, and that it has been classified as non-hazardous and non-radioactive, from the then Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
(j) - (l) Not applicable

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