❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the chemicals used in fracking, specifically addressing safety assessments and monitoring. The Minister confirms chemicals are assessed but declines to name them due to confidentiality.
AnsweredQoN 4448Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the answer to my question without notice No. 537 regarding the three wells for which more information was required prior to fracking and for each well I ask -
(1) Were chemicals approved to be used as part of the frack?
(2) If yes to (1), will the Minister state the names of the chemicals used?
(3) If yes to (1), will the Minister please state how many different chemicals were used in each frack?
(4) If yes to (1), will the Minister confirm that all chemicals approved for use have been assessed for safety by the Australian National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS)?
(5) If no to (4), will the Minister please specify how many of the chemicals approved for use have been assessed for safety by NICNAS and how many have not?
(6) If yes to (1), is any monitoring of the behaviour of these chemicals in the ground planned or being undertaken?
(7) Will the Minister please table any such monitoring plan?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) If no to (1), will the Minister commit to refusing to permit fracking with chemicals that have not been assessed by NICNAS?
(1) Were chemicals approved to be used as part of the frack?
(2) If yes to (1), will the Minister state the names of the chemicals used?
(3) If yes to (1), will the Minister please state how many different chemicals were used in each frack?
(4) If yes to (1), will the Minister confirm that all chemicals approved for use have been assessed for safety by the Australian National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS)?
(5) If no to (4), will the Minister please specify how many of the chemicals approved for use have been assessed for safety by NICNAS and how many have not?
(6) If yes to (1), is any monitoring of the behaviour of these chemicals in the ground planned or being undertaken?
(7) Will the Minister please table any such monitoring plan?
(8) If no to (7), why not?
(9) If no to (1), will the Minister commit to refusing to permit fracking with chemicals that have not been assessed by NICNAS?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 September 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
42 days
(1) Yes.
(2) - (3) No. As previously advised in Question Without Notice 583, the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) has an obligation of confidentiality in relation to this information and cannot disclose it.
(4) Yes. The Australian Government maintains the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS) approved for use in Australia as part of the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS). All chemicals approved by DMP are chemicals listed on the AICS.
DMP further assesses the acceptability of proposed chemicals as part of an application to drill a petroleum well and any associated hydraulic fracturing. This involves the assessment of an environmental management plan that includes information regarding the ecotoxicity of any proposed chemicals.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) Yes.
(7) No.
(8) See response to questions (2) - (3).
(9) Not applicable.
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(2) - (3) No. As previously advised in Question Without Notice 583, the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) has an obligation of confidentiality in relation to this information and cannot disclose it.
(4) Yes. The Australian Government maintains the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS) approved for use in Australia as part of the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS). All chemicals approved by DMP are chemicals listed on the AICS.
DMP further assesses the acceptability of proposed chemicals as part of an application to drill a petroleum well and any associated hydraulic fracturing. This involves the assessment of an environmental management plan that includes information regarding the ecotoxicity of any proposed chemicals.
(5) Not applicable.
(6) Yes.
(7) No.
(8) See response to questions (2) - (3).
(9) Not applicable.
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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