MEDIA RELEASE
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CICCC Update—15 April 2006 Meeting
Terminals reduces its combustor temperature
At the CICCC meeting on 13 April 2006, Carlo Fasolino, Terminals Victorian Manager reported that the combustor trials have resulted in no appreciable change in emissions at the lower temperature of 750 degrees C, down from 890 degrees C. EPA has approved the lower operating temperature, which will lead to significant less gas needing to be burnt, and greenhouse gas emission savings. The gas saving is expected to be greater than simply pro-rata, and will be reported in a few months time when sufficient data is available to give representative results.
Reduction in emissions since 2001
The Terminals Coode Island Annual Report to EPA provides a summary of emissions for the years 2001 to 2005. Total emissions to air from the facility have reduced over the 5 years from over 14 tonnes to just over 1 tonne, a very substantial reduction. Nearly all of the remaining emissions are Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons (VOCs) that arise from activities such as tank breathing, filling, cleaning and inspection.
Sparge Curtain operation
The Sparge Curtain is a line of shallow boreholes into which air is injected, circulated and withdrawn. The air attaches to organic wastes in the groundwater, and brings these wastes out as the air is withdrawn. The Sparge Curtain along the western sides of the Terminals facility has been in operation for over three years. Its purpose is to prevent contaminated ground water before the groundwater discharges to the Maribyrnong River. A line of monitoring bores is used to check the ground-water quality between the facility and the Maribyrnong River.
Several circumstances disrupted the smooth operation of the Sparge Curtain over the last year. Firstly, the equipment was taken off line to upgrade air piping. Then the controller which turns the compressor and fan on and off broke down, and the failure was not noticed for some time. Finally, the reconstruction of the road along the east bank of the Maribyrnong River on behalf of the Port of Melbourne Corporation damaged the monitoring bores.
Both these failures have been repaired by Terminals, and the Sparge Curtain equipment is now linked in to its central operations control system. The results of recent monitoring showed contamination levels have been generally the lowest on record.
Terminals Pty Ltd ownership changes
As foreshadowed in the last media release, Terminals has now been sold by Valero. The new company is called ANZ Terminals Pty Ltd and is registered in Australia.
Next meeting of the CICCC
The next meeting of the CICCC will be held on Thursday 15 June 2006 at the Maribyrnong Town Hall on the corner of Hyde and Napier Streets, Footscray at 6.30 pm.
Robin Saunders, Chair CICCC, 19 April 2006