❓ A parliamentary question regarding Nufarm's chemical disposal practices in Kwinana, focusing on micro-organism stabilization, groundwater monitoring, chemical restrictions, and stormwater disposal. The Minister provides some data and refers to Nufarm's license for further details.
AnsweredQoN 567Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Steve Appleyard of the DEP was quoted in
The West Australian
newspaper, April 4 2002, as stating that micro-organisms appeared to have stabilised the contamination plume under Nufarm in Kwinana -
(1) Will the Minister identify what micro-organisms are responsible for stabilising the chemical contaminants?
(2) Will the Minister table any groundwater survey and monitoring results in and around Nufarm’s deep well chemical disposal aquifer?
(3) What restrictions are there on what chemicals?
(4) What quantities of each chemical, can Nufarm dispose of into the deep aquifer?
(5) Will the Minister table testing and monitoring results of the stormwater which is allowed to drain into the groundwater?
(6) If not, why not?
(7) Will the Minister table the contaminant limits and levels set by the DEP for Nufarm’s stormwater disposal into the groundwater?
(8) If not, why not?
The West Australian
newspaper, April 4 2002, as stating that micro-organisms appeared to have stabilised the contamination plume under Nufarm in Kwinana -
(1) Will the Minister identify what micro-organisms are responsible for stabilising the chemical contaminants?
(2) Will the Minister table any groundwater survey and monitoring results in and around Nufarm’s deep well chemical disposal aquifer?
(3) What restrictions are there on what chemicals?
(4) What quantities of each chemical, can Nufarm dispose of into the deep aquifer?
(5) Will the Minister table testing and monitoring results of the stormwater which is allowed to drain into the groundwater?
(6) If not, why not?
(7) Will the Minister table the contaminant limits and levels set by the DEP for Nufarm’s stormwater disposal into the groundwater?
(8) If not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 May 2002
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
36 days
(2) No – because there are no monitoring bores at this depth in and around the deep well disposal aquifer. (3) On behalf of the Minister I now table a copy of Nufarm's licence which includes conditions and restrictions associated with the management, monitoring and reporting of chemicals. (Attachment 1) See tabled paper. (4) There are no limits on quantities of individual chemicals discharged to the deep aquifer. However, 350 cubic metres of processed wastewater and contaminated stormwater can be disposed of per week, with a maximum of 100 cubic metres in any single day. (5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(3) On behalf of the Minister I now table a copy of Nufarm's licence which includes conditions and restrictions associated with the management, monitoring and reporting of chemicals. (Attachment 1) See tabled paper. (4) There are no limits on quantities of individual chemicals discharged to the deep aquifer. However, 350 cubic metres of processed wastewater and contaminated stormwater can be disposed of per week, with a maximum of 100 cubic metres in any single day. (5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(4) There are no limits on quantities of individual chemicals discharged to the deep aquifer. However, 350 cubic metres of processed wastewater and contaminated stormwater can be disposed of per week, with a maximum of 100 cubic metres in any single day. (5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(8) Not applicable.
(3) On behalf of the Minister I now table a copy of Nufarm's licence which includes conditions and restrictions associated with the management, monitoring and reporting of chemicals. (Attachment 1) See tabled paper. (4) There are no limits on quantities of individual chemicals discharged to the deep aquifer. However, 350 cubic metres of processed wastewater and contaminated stormwater can be disposed of per week, with a maximum of 100 cubic metres in any single day. (5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(4) There are no limits on quantities of individual chemicals discharged to the deep aquifer. However, 350 cubic metres of processed wastewater and contaminated stormwater can be disposed of per week, with a maximum of 100 cubic metres in any single day. (5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(5) I now table the monitoring data for water discharged to the stormwater infiltration basin as per the report for the period May to October 2001. (Attachment 2). See tabled paper. (6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(6) Not applicable (7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(7) The contaminant limits and levels are indicated in the copy of the licence under condition W3(c), as previously tabled. (8) Not applicable.
(8) Not applicable.
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