Orica hexavalent chromium emission incident, Kooragang Island
The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) is investigating an incident that occurred on Monday 8th August 2011 involving a short emission of hexavalent chromium from Orica’s ammonia plant on Kooragang Island, Newcastle.
The OEH ordered Orica to immediately cease operations at its ammonia plant and has implemented a thorough investigation.
The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) has established an interagency committee to oversee and review the recommissioning of the Orica ammonia plant at Kooragang Island, Newcastle, which has been closed under a Prevention Notice issued by OEH on 11 August 2011. The Committee includes representatives from the Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW Health, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Police, WorkCover, Newcastle City Council, Port Stephens Council and the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
Orica Ammonia Start Up Committee minutes for download:
- Minutes of meeting 14 December 2011 (141211OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 74KB)
- Minutes of meeting 05 December 2011 (051211OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 201KB)
- Minutes of meeting 30 November 2011 (301111OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 201KB)
- Minutes of meeting 23 November 2011 (231111OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 151KB)
- Minutes of meeting 15 November 2011 (151111OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 143KB)
- Minutes of meeting 03 November 2011 (031111OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 126KB)
- Minutes of meeting 14 October 2011 (OricaAmmoniaMinutes141011.pdf; 22KB)
- Minutes of meeting 27 September 2011 (270911OricaCmtteeMinutes.pdf; 116KB)
- Minutes of meeting 19 September 2011 (OricaAmmoniaMinutes190911.pdf; 21KB)
- Minutes of meeting 7 September 2011 (OricaAmmoniaMinutes110907.pdf; 18KB)
- Start Up Committee Terms of Reference (OricaCmmitteeTermsofReference.pdf, 9KB)
- Start Up Committee presentation at Stockton community meeting 270911 (StartUpCommitteePresentation.pdf, 87kb)
More information about the incident and sampling results is provided in the links below:
- Chromium VI from the Orica chemical plant, Kooragang Island, Stockton, 8th August 2011: Final Health Risk Assessment Report, 2nd September 2011
- Video of media conference to announce Final Report, 2 September 2011
- Final Health Risk Assessment Report, 2 September 2011
- Updated Information for Stockton residents, including factsheet 'Stockton chromium results confirm no health risk to residents' (2 September 2011)
- Updated information for Stockton residents, including factsheet 'Stockton chromium results confirm no health risk to residents' (2 September 2011)
- Health risk assessment of hexavalent chromium release at Orica Kooragang Island (28 August 2011)
- Clinical toxicology report and rapid risk assessment (23 August 2011)
- Sampling information: sampling results (StocktonSamplingResults9to12Aug11rev3Feb12.pdf; 85KB) and map (StocktonSamplingMap9to12Aug11.pdf; 88KB)
- NSW Health factsheet about hexavalent chromium and precautionary advice to residents who may have been impacted by the incident
- Media releases: Office of Environment and Heritage and Minister for the Environment