❓ A parliamentary question addresses community concerns about pollution from Alcoa's Wagerup refinery and its health impacts on Yarloop residents, seeking assurance that expansion will be contingent on resolving pollution issues. The Minister acknowledges concerns but cites a lack of direct evidence and ongoing efforts to reduce emissions.
AnsweredQoN 285Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister for the Environment aware that the community of Yarloop is still suffering from persistent and worsening pollution from Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery and that the pollution is having extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop? (2) What action will the minister take to prevent the pollution from the Wagerup alumina refinery? (3) Will the minister assure the House that Alcoa will not be permitted to expand the Wagerup refinery until it deals with this pollution problem? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(2) What action will the minister take to prevent the pollution from the Wagerup alumina refinery? (3) Will the minister assure the House that Alcoa will not be permitted to expand the Wagerup refinery until it deals with this pollution problem? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(3) Will the minister assure the House that Alcoa will not be permitted to expand the Wagerup refinery until it deals with this pollution problem? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so.
If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(2) What action will the minister take to prevent the pollution from the Wagerup alumina refinery? (3) Will the minister assure the House that Alcoa will not be permitted to expand the Wagerup refinery until it deals with this pollution problem? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(3) Will the minister assure the House that Alcoa will not be permitted to expand the Wagerup refinery until it deals with this pollution problem? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(1) The Department of Environmental Protection has advised me that although there are continuing community complaints about odour emissions from the refinery and concern about health implications, there is no direct evidence of pollution or that emissions are responsible for extreme health effects on the residents of Yarloop. (2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
(2) Emissions from prescribed premises are required to be licensed under the Environmental Protection Act. These licences are reviewed annually and periodically to ensure that pollution does not occur. The minister is aware that as a result of the concerns raised, significant reductions in odour emissions from the refinery have been achieved over the past 18 months and that further works in this regard are continuing. Detailed monitoring of ambient air quality in Yarloop has been undertaken in the past and further monitoring is being undertaken now. The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so. (3) Any proposal to expand this facility is required to meet the requirements of the ministerial conditions applicable, and the company will need to obtain a works approval from the DEP. No application for a works approval has been received. If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
The Department of Environmental Protection, Alcoa and the community have expended considerable resources to identify means of achieving further reductions in odour emissions from the plant in a cooperative way, and will continue to do so.
If the member is unhappy with any of these answers he should let me know and I will relay his concerns to the minister to see whether they can be addressed.
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