Turnbull imposes world's toughest pulp mill conditions
The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, has imposed 48 tough environmental conditions on the proposed Gunns pulp mill in Tasmania's Tamar Valley.
In summary, the key elements of the conditions are:
- An integrated Environmental Impact Management Plan that will strictly prescribe all actions relating to EPBC Act matters.
- An independent panel, drawn from national and international experts, to oversee the design, implementation and monitoring of the pulp mill.
- An independent inspector, appointed by the Australian Government, to monitor Gunns compliance, and
- Guarantee of tertiary treatment of effluent, in the unlikely event it becomes necessary.
The Chief Scientist of Australia, Dr Jim Peacock AC, has advised that the expert panel of scientists that he convened to review the pulp mill assessment were impressed by the technical and engineering advances that have been made in the design and operation of Elemental Chlorine Free pulp mills. The panel accepted that the proposed mill was likely to conform to world's best practice. In relation to effluent being released into the marine environment, the dioxin limit is more than 70 percent better than world's best practice.
- Minister's decision and approval conditions (PDF - 1063 KB)
- Fact sheet - summary of conditions (PDF - 58 KB)
- Advice of Australia's Chief Scientist (PDF - 352 KB)
- Fact sheet - summary of Chief Scientist's advice (PDF - 67 KB)
- Letter from the Chief Scientist to the Minister (PDF - 181 KB)
- The Department of Environment and Water Resources' recommendation report
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