Bluescope Steel has inked an anti-pollution deal with a new supplier to help remove noxious gases including sulphur dioxide from emissions at its Port Kembla steelworks.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Under the agreement, Calgon Carbon Japan will provide nearly 2.5 million kilograms of char (carbon material) to BlueScope to be used to remove pollutants at its waste gas cleaning plant on the harbour foreshore.
Further details including the duration and value of the contract were not released.
BlueScope said the gas cleaning plant, attached to its sinter plant, was commissioned in 2003 and had been one of the company's "environmental success stories".
"Under our environmental licence, exhaust emissions are monitored regularly from the stack and consistently we are significantly below our EPA emission limits," environment manager Andy Purvis said.
"Recently, BlueScope changed its supplier of char, also known as activated carbon, for the waste gas cleaning plant, as part of our ongoing cost improvement initiatives.
"The operation of the plant will remain unchanged."
The gas cleaning system uses granules of char to filter dust and absorb dioxins and sulphur dioxide.
BlueScope monitors air quality results from the stack through quarterly and annual sampling.
Meantime, the company's ongoing industrial dispute with unions at the Port Kembla steelworks has escalated and talks between the parties have stalled.
Australian Workers' Union Port Kembla branch secretary Wayne Phillips said the union had now notified the company of rolling stoppages in an effort to force a deal on a new enterprise agreement.
They would include daily protected three-hour stoppages at the blast furnace from Friday until October 1, plus ongoing stoppages at other sites, he said.
BlueScope has a policy not to comment on industrial relations matters.
