Origin Energy receives third $15,000 fine for toxic dust pollution

8 April, 2020

The NSW Government should significantly increase penalties for coal ash pollution after Origin Energy received its third fine in four years for allowing toxic coal ash to contaminate suburbs neighbouring its Eraring power station. [1]

“A $15,000 penalty for an energy giant like Origin clearly will not stop the company putting people’s health at risk,” said NSW Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian.

“Origin posted a $599 million half-year profit in December. This $15,000 fine is just seven minutes of profit for Origin. [2]

“The government must either substantially increase fines for ash dam pollution or threaten to remove the company’s licence to operate.”

The most recent fine comes after toxic coal ash blew several kilometres from the Eraring Power Station on the shore of Lake Macquarie into neighbouring communities on 17 October 2019. [3]

In 2017, 2019 and 2020 the Environment Protection Authority penalised Origin Energy for operating its ash dam in contravention of environmental law. [4] [5]

Mr Gambian said the company should undertake significant clean-up efforts to avoid a potential catastrophic collapse of the coal ash dam, which contains 35 million tonnes of toxic material.

“Rather than leaving large volumes of coal ash in unregulated landfill to indefinitely pollute, why not generate economic activity and jobs by reusing ash for building materials?” he said. “Currently, only 25% of Eraring coal ash is reused.” [6]

Yet on Tuesday 12 November strong winds blew more ash from the Eraring coal-ash dump over the neighbouring suburbs, and photos showing a huge coal-ash plume circulated on social media [3a].

“Locals complained to the EPA – will this result in another $15,000 fine?” said Dr Ingrid Schraner from the Coal-ash Community Alliance.

“And then another fine, and another fine – it’s obviously cheaper to pay these fines than to properly manage the coal-ash. This is simply not good enough – the community demands that coal-ash in NSW is managed to world-best practice standards.

REFERENCES

[1] Eraring power station fined over dust

[2] Half Year Results 2020

[2] Origin Energy fined $15,000 over dust emissions from Eraring Power Station

[3] Lake power station dust fine slammed as not enough | poll

[3a] NBN News

[4] Eraring Power Station owner cops EPA fine for dust emissions

[5] Out of the ashes. Water Pollution and Lake Macquarie’s ageing coal-fired power stations