A WA parliamentary question addresses concerns about ammonia sulphate production and fly ash disposal from burning poultry litter, with the Minister responding that small amounts of ammonium sulphate are possible, it's a fertiliser component, ash will go to landfill, and an Ash Management Plan is required by the EPA.

AnsweredQoN 775Legislative Assembly
Asked
25 February 2003
Portfolio
the Environment and Heritage

QuestionView source ↗

(b) is the Minister aware that this is likely to produce high levels of ammonia sulphate when burnt; (c) if yes, is the Minister concerned that the EPA failed to assess this potential pollutant, apart from referring to fly ash; (d) how will the fly ash be disposed of if it cannot be sold as fertiliser; (e) if no assessment has been conducted for fly ash disposal, will the Minister order such an assessment; and (f) if not, why not?
(c) if yes, is the Minister concerned that the EPA failed to assess this potential pollutant, apart from referring to fly ash; (d) how will the fly ash be disposed of if it cannot be sold as fertiliser; (e) if no assessment has been conducted for fly ash disposal, will the Minister order such an assessment; and (f) if not, why not?
(d) how will the fly ash be disposed of if it cannot be sold as fertiliser; (e) if no assessment has been conducted for fly ash disposal, will the Minister order such an assessment; and (f) if not, why not?
(e) if no assessment has been conducted for fly ash disposal, will the Minister order such an assessment; and (f) if not, why not?
(f) if not, why not?
(b) Small amounts of ammonium sulphate are possible. (c) No. Ammonium sulphate is a fertiliser component. (d) The ash would be disposed to an appropriate class of landfill. (e) The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended a condition requiring an Ash Management Plan to be prepared to ensure ash is managed and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Environmental Protection Authority’s report and recommendations for this proposal is currently the subject of appeals under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. (f) Not applicable
(c) No. Ammonium sulphate is a fertiliser component. (d) The ash would be disposed to an appropriate class of landfill. (e) The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended a condition requiring an Ash Management Plan to be prepared to ensure ash is managed and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Environmental Protection Authority’s report and recommendations for this proposal is currently the subject of appeals under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. (f) Not applicable
(d) The ash would be disposed to an appropriate class of landfill. (e) The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended a condition requiring an Ash Management Plan to be prepared to ensure ash is managed and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Environmental Protection Authority’s report and recommendations for this proposal is currently the subject of appeals under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. (f) Not applicable
(e) The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended a condition requiring an Ash Management Plan to be prepared to ensure ash is managed and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Environmental Protection Authority’s report and recommendations for this proposal is currently the subject of appeals under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. (f) Not applicable
(f) Not applicable

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
12 March 2003
Responded by
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
15 days
(a) The nitrogen content of Western Australian poultry litter is around 3%. If all this nitrogen was present as ammonia, the ammonia content would only be around 3.6%.
(b) Small amounts of ammonium sulphate are possible.
(c) No. Ammonium sulphate is a fertiliser component.
(d) The ash would be disposed to an appropriate class of landfill.
(e) The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended a condition requiring an Ash Management Plan to be prepared to ensure ash is managed and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Environmental Protection Authority’s report and recommendations for this proposal is currently the subject of appeals under the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(f) Not applicable

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