By Marg Perrott
WOLLONGONG — The Port Kembla Copper (PKC) smelter started operating here secretly on February 4. Local residents began smelling sulphur fumes at 3pm. Some people began coughing, others had difficulty breathing.
At a public meeting on January 12, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) had promised to warn residents before the smelter was re-opened. But it was not until Helen Hamilton, a member of Illawarra Residents Against Toxic Environments (IRATE), had suffered an uncontrollable cough and chest pains for a number of hours that Trevor Jones, the acting head of the EPA, telephoned her to say that the smelter had been re-commissioned. It was 6.20pm.
When Hamilton asked if the smelter was the cause of her breathing difficulties, the EPA said that couldn't be the case as everything was all right. It was subsequently discovered that the $350 million upgrade to the smelter had failed its first test: there was a process gas leak containing sulphur dioxide from the smelter's acid plant.
EPA spokesperson John Dengate stated on February 5 that PKC had withheld the information from residents because it feared "over-reaction" and "sabotage".
At 11pm on the day of re-commissioning, loud hissing noises and fumes woke residents, many of whom were kept awake all night and were ill for several days afterwards. A local resident, Ben, reported to WIN TV that his pet budgie was dead when he woke up the day after the smelter re-opened. Hamilton commented, "Do we have to wait until human beings start to drop off before something is done?".
Both Jones and Andrew Blair, the company's environmental officer, indicated to residents that a breach of the conditions had occurred, but both have downplayed the pollution in later statements. PKC operations manager Ian Wilson admitted to two unrelated incidents causing pollution on February 4, but dismissed residents' fears.
The Southern Copper company was forced to close the smelter in 1994 because it failed to meet emission standards. At the same time there was an industrial dispute with the workers and locals confidently predicted that the smelter would be up and running with new owners and a new workplace agreement within six months of closure.
However, new buyers were not found easily. Enormous efforts to attract new owners were made by the ALP state government and the ALP-dominated Wollongong City Council. Despite residents' protests, the South Coast Labor Council supported the smelter re-opening, citing as the reason "more jobs" in the district.
Residents continued to vigorously protest any re-opening and IRATE was formed. Hamilton attempted to use the freedom of information laws to obtain emission figures but the state government passed special legislation to stop her.
"The time of commissioning is important to residents as the restrictions on emissions can only be enforced by the EPA after commissioning", said IRATE spokesperson Olive Rodwell. "Even these limitations are generous, with the copper smelter allowed 17.5 exceedences per year, with an absolute limit of sulphur dioxide emissions of 50 parts per 100 million."
During the refurbishment of the smelter there were several workplace scares over radiation and lead levels, and an electrical fire in August caused a toxic fume scare for local residents. The EPA has not taken any action over the latter incident.
On February 5, the monthly meeting between residents and the council, EPA and PKC attracted 150 tired, angry and sick people who wanted answers from the newly elected Wollongong lord mayor and ALP member, George Harrison.
IRATE members suspect that the EPA, PKC and the council have been meeting secretly and that Harrison plans to do away with the monthly meetings. They have enlisted the help of students from Wollongong University to organise more protest actions.
Hamilton said she was disgusted that Port Kembla Copper continued to refuse to have real-time monitoring and reporting, and would not consider installing warning systems to alert residents to dangerous emissions. "How many more doses of toxic fumes do we need before we have another cancer or leukaemia cluster", she said.