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Since 2005, the total emissions at OneSteel Whyalla for PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometres in diameter) have decreased from 3,327 tonnes to 2,940 tonnes, a drop of 12%.
The majority of the dust reduction has taken place at the pelletising plant located close to the east end of Whyalla meaning that the reduction has resulted in very real benefits to the community. The major reason that PM10 emissions have decreased from this site is the successful implementation of Project Magnet in late 2007.
The conversion of the pellet plant from a dry haematite feed to a magnetite slurry feed has eliminated all the crushing and screening steps that were significant sources of coarse and fine particulates material. In addition the commissioning of a fully enclosed export shed has allowed OneSteel to close and commence remediation of the northern stockpile which was previously used to store and blend export material.
The next major project in further reducing particulate emissions from the site is to refurbish the three electrostatic precipitators that clean gases from the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) plant. All three will be completed in 2012.
Other measures that have been implemented in order to decrease dust at the steelworks include:
- increasing the availability of recycled water for road watering
- closing off and capping disused areas
- ensuring all potentially dust-generating activities have environment management plans in place before they start
- introducing an improved paper pulp mix to control dust from stockpiles
- awareness campaigns, and a fugitive dust standard for use by operators
- a Dust Control Network to continually monitor and report fugitive dust emissions that have the potential to impact on the community allowing controls to be put in place.
Click here (985.4 KB PDF) for information about OneSteel and the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI).
Last modified: 17/01/2012 02:48 pm
