Post on 13-Oct-2020
► NYRSTAR LICENCE RENEWAL
Port Pirie community update #2
Issued 30 June 2020
With the renewal of Nyrstar’s environmental
licence, the EPA is progressively introducing
sustainable lower emissions requirements
and significantly improved public access to
information. Strengthened conditions have
been developed using the benchmark of
modern licences. The EPA has given Nyrstar
the opportunity to be consulted, and the
licence has been issued for one year so that
conditions can be reviewed again when
further improvements at the plant take effect.
When imposing conditions on any licence,
the EPA must consider economic, social and
environmental aspects in accordance with
the objects of the Environment Protection
Act 1993. A summary of the strengthened
conditions are outlined overleaf.
New licence at a glance:
A 20% reduction in annual average Lead-In-Air (LIA) limits measured daily.
Rolling three month average LIA targets, to be assessed monthly from December, to focus efforts on reducing frequency, duration and intensity of shorter term emission events.
Requirement for an updated EIP, developed in consultation with the community, to address not only dust and lead emissions but also to establish actions to rectify and avoid future exceedences, and timeframes and milestones for improvements in wastewater management.
Increased public accountability for emissions to air and water – with requirements to provide public notification as well as to the EPA, and a requirement to provide an explanation of what caused any exceedence above targets imposed and the actions being taken to rectify them.
More data provided in real time with public accessibility.
Feedback loops from monitoring and reporting to revise the Environmental Improvement Program for continuous improvement.
epa.sa.gov.au
Strengthened licence conditions from 1 July 2020
Aspect Status Explanation
IMPROVED, 20% LOWER
LIA LIMIT
TSP LEAD 12 MONTH AVERAGE LIMITS
Not exceed a 12-month average TSP Lead-In-Air limit of
0.4 µg/m3 (TSP Lead) based on the daily measurements
of Lead-In-Air at the Licensee's Oliver St and Pirie West
monitoring stations, with 4 compliance dates during the
year.
IMPROVED REPORTING TSP LEAD 12 MONTH AVERAGE TARGETS
OF PERFORMANCE All reasonable and practicable measures to not exceed a 12-month average TSP LIA target of 1.6 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3) based on the daily measurements of LIA at Ellen St Monitoring Station and 0.6 µg/m3 at Boat Ramp Monitoring Station.
Where a 12-month LIA target is exceeded provide public notification and notification to the EPA within 72 hours of laboratory confirmation, as well as a summary report to the EPA within 5 business days detailing the measurements, known reasons, and remedial action to eliminate future occurrences.
IMPROVED FOCUS ON TSP LEAD 3 MONTH AVERAGE TARGETS
SHORTER TERM EVENTS All reasonable and practicable measures to not exceed a rolling 3-month average TSP LIA target of 0.45 µg/m3
based on the daily measurements of TSP Lead at the Oliver St and Pirie West Primary School Monitoring Stations, 2.2 µg/m3 at the Licensee’s Ellen Street Monitoring Station, and 1.0 µg/m3 at the Boat Ramp Monitoring Station.
Where a rolling 3-month average TSP LIA target is exceeded provide public notification and notification to the EPA within 72 hours of laboratory confirmation, a summary report to the EPA within 5 business days detailing the measurements, known reason/s, and remedial action to eliminate future occurrences.
IMPROVED QUALITY OF
REPORTING
LEAD-IN-AIR MONITORING AND REPORTING PLAN
Develop, submit and implement an updated Lead-In-Air
Monitoring and Reporting Plan that includes:
methods and procedures in accordance withAustralian Standards for the daily measurement andmonitoring of Total Suspended Particulate (TSP)Lead-In-Air levels at Nyrstar’s monitoring stationsonsite and in the community
ensuring the minimum data return for daily TSP leadsamples from monitoring stations is not less than90%
epa.sa.gov.au
trend analysis of data collected and a comparison with any target or limit specified by licence conditions
monthly, quarterly and annual reports
public access to data, plans and reports.
UPDATED, INCLUDES FIRST CREEK MONITORING
ADDITIONAL pH Daily monitoring of wastewater from the premises at the
MONITORING LOCATION point of discharge to First Creek (1M Flume) located at the end of the Sedimentation Basin, and Wastewater pH monitoring at the road bridge above the Creek Environment Monitoring Station.
UPDATED, INCLUDES TARGETS AND REPORTABLE LIMITS - 1M Flume
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION Targets and reportable limits measured on a daily basis REQUIREMENTS at the 1M Flume wastewater discharge point located at
the end of the Sedimentation Basin.
Where the concentration of one or more of the analytes exceeds the reportable limits, provide public notification and notification to the EPA within 72 hours and a summary report to the EPA within 28 days, including any remedial actions to eliminate future occurrences.
UPDATED, EIP TO DRIVE
CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT IN
ENVIRONMENTAL
PERFORMANCE ACROSS
THE WHOLE FACILITY,
REQUIREMENT TO
PUBLICLY CONSULT
DURING DEVELOPMENT
AND TO PUBLISH THE
PLAN AND REPORTS
ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME (EIP)
Develop, submit and implement an updated Environment Improvement Programme (EIP) that includes:
public consultation during development of the EIP
actions, timeframes and milestones to minimiseLead-In-Air emissions; dust emissions (includingfugitive emissions); environmental harm attributableto wastewater and contaminated stormwatermanagement (including metals in wastewater andcontaminated stormwater discharged via the 1MFlume and any leakage from the Sewage Lagoon);litter and waste generation and disposal;environmental harm attributable to legacy plant,equipment and waste and to undertake progressiverehabilitation of legacy plant, equipment and waste
frequent reporting to demonstrate progress andcompletion of actions, assessment of theeffectiveness of the actions and an analysis ofemissions monitoring and management
public access to the EIP and quarterly and annualreporting.
epa.sa.gov.au
UPDATED, INCLUDES
MORE PUBLIC ACCESS
TO REAL-TIME DATA AS
WELL AS PUBLIC
NOTIFICATION AND
ACCESS TO PLAN AND
REPORTS
GROUND LEVEL PARTICULATE AND SULPHUR
DIOXIDE MONITORING
Develop, submit and implement a Ground Level Particulate and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Monitoring and Reporting Plan that includes:
ground level particulate concentrations asparticulate matter less than 10 micrometres indiameter (PM10) and SO2 at various locations onand offsite
public access to real-time data
public notification within 72 hours when there areexceedances, including reasons if known whenPM10 concentration of 50 micrograms per cubicmetre over a 24 hour averaging period; SO2
concentration of 0.08 parts per million (ppm) over a24 hour averaging period; or SO2 concentration of0.02 ppm over a 12 month averaging period
submission of quarterly and annual reports whichinclude exceedances of SO2 concentration of 0.2ppm over a one-hour averaging period and reasonsfor those exceedances
public access to the plan and to quarterly andannual reports.
NEW, ENSURES GOOD
HOUSEKEEPING AT THE
WHARF
CLEAN UP OF SPILLS
Any material spilt onto the wharf, dock, loading or work area to be removed and reused, or disposed of to an appropriately licensed facility.
NEW, USE OF A
TRIGGER, ACTION,
RESPONSE APPROACH
TO DUST MANAGEMENT
TO DRIVE
IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC
ACCESS TO PLANS AND
REPORTS
DUST MANAGEMENT PLAN
Develop, submit, and implement a satisfactory Dust Management Plan that includes:
specification of dust trigger values and action andresponse strategies to be implemented when thosevalues are met or exceeded
quarterly reports that include the date and timeand measurements when any triggers values areexceeded, plus action and response strategiesimplemented
annual report provided to the EPA which includes atrend analysis of data collected, an assessment ofthe effectiveness of all action and responsestrategies and a review of all trigger values
a review and analysis of community complaintswith measured data to identify opportunities forimprovement
public access to the plan and reports.
epa.sa.gov.au
NEW, ASSESSMENT
FRAMEWORK WHICH IS
TRANSPARENT AND
ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY
SHORT-TERM TRIALS
RELATING TO PLANT OR
PROCESS PROPOSED
PRE-TRIAL PLAN FOR CHANGE OF A KIND
A condition included to provide a clear assessment
framework for shorter term trials of changes to plant,
equipment or process to ensure any potential
environment or community impacts are identified,
understood and mitigated:
the objective(s) and anticipated outcomes, detailsof the site plan, summary and duration
an assessment of the processes, facilities andequipment to demonstrate suitability for the trial
monitoring and modelling to be undertaken
an assessment of the potential environmental risks
potential additional waste treatment required, anyby-products and applicable disposal pathways
mitigation measures to minimise the risk of anyenvironmental impacts, including contingency plansand triggers for when the trial would cease
details of the community engagement process tobe undertaken.
NEW, REPORTING OF POST-TRIAL REPORT FOR CHANGE OF A KIND
ANY APPROVED TRIALS, Within 30 days of completion of any trial, provide a Post-WITH A FOCUS ON Trial report indicating whether the environmental and
ENVIRONMENTAL AND community outcomes of the trial were met, a gap
COMMUNITY OUTCOMES analysis comparing actual performance with the approved Pre-Trial plan an assessment of the suitability and performance of the processes, facilities and equipment, measure(s) implemented to mitigate any environmental impacts and details of community engagement.
CHANGE, CLEAR
REQUIREMENTS FOR
VEHICLE WASHING AND
HOW WASHWATER IS
MANAGED
VEHICLE WASHING
only wash vehicles at the premises within an areathat directs all water to a wastewater managementsystem
direct vehicles loaded on the premises to exitthrough an operating vehicle wash
ensure that dragout from all vehicles leaving thepremises is minimised.
CHANGE, FULL LIST OF
WASTE PERMITTED FOR
RECEIPT INCLUDED IN
LICENCE
WASTE PERMITTED TO BE RECEIVED
Nyrstar has historically been licensed to receive waste and this condition has been updated to align with modern conditions applied to all facilities that receive materials for processing.
epa.sa.gov.au
Port P
irie Licence R
enewal-
Lead in Air Lim
its and T
argets
The T
errace (0.8km)
irie Wes
. .
0.4 µg/m3 (A
nnual Lim
i 0
.45 µg/m3 (3 M
onth Ta
~ E
llen Street (0.7km
) 1.6 µg/m
3 (Annual
Target)
2.2 µg/m3 (3 M
onth T
arget)
Bo
at Ram
p (1.7km
) • 0.6 µ
g/m
3 (An
nu
al Targ
et) 1.0 µ
g/m
3 (3 Mo
nth
Targ
et)
Oliver S
treet (3.1 km)
0.4 µg
/m3 (A
nn
ual L
imit)
0.45 µ
g/m
3 (3 Mo
nth
Targ
et)
• E
PA
Mo
nito
ring
Sites
Nystar
e M
on
itorin
g
Sites
r"L:\ Nystart P
ort
~ P
irie S
melter
1. 3 Month T
argets from
31 Decem
ber 2020 and calculated on th
e final day of each m
onth. 2. A
nnual Limits 3
1st M
arch, 30th June, 30th S
eptember and 31st
Decem
ber each year.
2. Annual T
argets 30th June and 31st D
ecember
each year. N
A
0 0
.5
Kilom
eters
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For further information please contact:
Environment Protection Authority
GPO Box 2607, Adelaide SA 5001
p: (08) 8204 2176
e: engage.epa@sa.gov.au
w: www.epa.sa.gov.au
(please follow the links to ‘Community’ then ‘Stay Informed')
FU
RT
HE
R IN
FO
epa.sa.gov.au