Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon has called on Hydro to publicly commit to the reprocessing of toxic spent pot-line waste.
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Mr. Fitzgibbon raised the issue in parliament on Thursday after hearing that Hydro planned to bury the spent pot-lining in a disused mine in the Hunter – a claim quickly refuted by the company.
Mr. Fitzgibbon stood firm on his view that treating the waste is the only option.
“Reprocessing in government-approved facilities with environmental controls is the only safe way of disposing of the waste,” Mr. Fitzgibbon said.
“Expensive yes, but it’s the only safe option.
“The company has confirmed that landfill, both on-site and off-site, remains an option.
“On behalf of the community I say it’s not an option at all.
“Norsk Hydro took a decision to exit our community; they must now meet their obligations to do so responsibly.”
Hydro Aluminium Kurri managing director Richard Brown said options for the whole-of-site remediation are still being developed.
“We can certainly rule out any idea of disposing of this material or any waste in an old mine, as put forward by the Federal Member for Hunter,” Mr. Brown said.
“We are working closely with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority, the Department of Planning and local councils on the whole project, which is aimed to bring employment lands, residential development and the conservation of a large proportion of the buffer zone that contains a range of threatened species.
“Hydro is proud of its record as an employer and a good corporate citizen both here and around the world, and would not entertain any plans that don’t have the backing of state government regulators,” he said.
Mr. Brown said the total amount of waste is expected to be around 350,000 tonnes – including the spent pot-lining stored in sheds (which has been reprocessed on-site for the past eight years), a licenced stockpile of material and other areas that need to be cleaned up, together with the waste generated by the demolition process.
A community reference group has been formed and will hold its first meeting in a couple of weeks’ time.
“We want to bring the local community along with us while we prepare plans for the future of this site,” Mr. Brown said.
One member of the community reference group is Kurri Landcare president Col Maybury, who says the solution is clear: the waste must be treated.
Mr. Maybury said Hydro must assure that the spent pot-lining will not be consigned to landfill.
He has had concerns about the effects of spent pot-lining on the local environment since he learned of the stockpile at the smelter in the 1980s.
Mr. Maybury said flouride and cyanide contaminants have seeped through the seal where the waste is buried, through the underground aquifer into Swamp Creek and the Wentworth Swamps.
“Landfill cannot contain this material,” he said.
“A once breeding and vegetative feeding area for water birds and fish was seriously damaged.
“The approach to our local health, safety and environment has been atrocious.”
Mr. Brown said the redevelopment of the site represents “a major region-shaping opportunity” and that Hydro will do this properly and responsibly, in consultation with the community, councils, government regulators and other stakeholders.
Major changes to activity on the site are not likely for about two years.
Minutes from community reference group meetings will be published on the Hydro website.
