Cockburn Cement fined for odour breaches

Cockburn Cement Ltd (CCL) has been fined AUD290,000 (US$191,000) for odour breaches from its Munster cement plant, according to the Government of Western Australia. The company was charged with six counts of causing unreasonable odour between January and April 2019, contravening the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The company pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to the witnesses involved in the case, there was evidence that the odour could be detected up to 8km from the plant, causing serious to significant interferences with the comfort, convenience and amenity of 11 residents over a four-month period, ruled Magistrate Heidi Watson. 

Kelly Faulkner, executive director of compliance and enforcement at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), said the department had received multiple complaints in 2019 to its Pollution Watch Hotline.“DWER carried out in excess of 30 odour patrols between January and April 2019 and identified odours during those patrols,” she said. “DWER continues to investigate on-going reports of odour in the local community and where appropriate will take further action to address any on-going unreasonable odour impacts.”

In January 2022 DWER initiated further prosecution action against CCL for six charges of unreasonable odour emissions between January and April 2020. “DWER is working with CCL to identify opportunities to further mitigate odourous emissions from their operations including granting approval for CCL to trial an engineering solution to reduce odours,” added Ms Faulkner.