EPA to prosecute Orica over alleged ammonia leak

Orica is being prosecuted by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) over an incident in which ammonia gas allegedly escaped from the company’s Kooragang Island site in March 2013.

According to the EPA, approximately one tonne of ammonia gas was discharged from a 60-metre-high vent stack at Orica’s ammonia plant.

Workers at neighbouring industrial premises were evacuated as a precaution. Fortunately, in this instance, the incident didn’t result in any environmental harm,” said EPA Director North Gary Davey.

The EPA alleges that Orica breached its Environment Protection Licence by failing to operate its plant and equipment in a proper and efficient manner.

Orica has pleaded guilty to a series of other environmental incidents that occurred at its Kooragang Island and Botany premises between October 2010 and December 2011. These incidents include:

• the 8 August 2011 emission of hexavalent chromium from Orica’s Kooragang Island facility that involved some fallout over a residential area at Stockton; and
• the 9 November 2011 emissions of ammonia also from the Kooragang Island facility that resulted in two workers on neighbouring industrial premises being taken to hospital.

The Land and Environment Court has listed the matter for mention on 24 April 2014.