The EPA attended the quarterly Adbri Community Liaison Group meeting on 2 September 2024 and provided a presentation to the CLG. The presentation provided an update on the work that the EPA has undertaken since the previous update to the CLG on 22 July 2024.

The presentation is available here.

On Monday 19 August community members took the opportunity to drop in and speak one-on-one with staff from the EPA and SA Health about their concerns regarding dust from Adbri Birkenhead. Factsheets were available providing an update on the EPA’s regulatory response and general information in response to health concerns raised. Both factsheets are available below:

• SA Health factsheet – Air quality and your health
• EPA factsheet – Dust from Adbri Birkenhead

Following Adbri's Birkenhead Community Liaison Group (CLG) meeting on Monday 3 June, an additional meeting was held on Monday 22 July. The EPA arranged for SA Health representatives to attend the 22 July CLG meeting to provide responses to questions from the community about the particles released during the recent dust event, and to provide general information in response to health concerns raised. The EPA also provided an update at the 22 July CLG meeting. Both presentations are available below:

• SA Health presentation - Adbri Birkenhead - 22 July 2024
• EPA presentation - Adbri Birkenhead - 22 July 2024

If you have any questions about the SA Health presentation, please contact SA Health at health.chemicalandenvironmentalhazards@sa.gov.au.

The EPA collected deposited dust samples on 28 and 29 May from windowsills, door frames, and the tops of bins at 19 different locations around the Adbri Birkenhead facility. These samples were then analysed by a certified laboratory for mineralogical composition using semi-quantitative x-ray diffraction (XRD).

The XRD results highlighted calcite, hatrurite, and quartz as the three most abundant minerals present in these dust samples.

See below for a summary of the results or download the full report:

• Mineralogical Report - AN1099

Calcite

Calcite (CaCO_3, a major component of cement) generally decreased with increasing distance from the Adbri facility. The amount (weight %) of calcite in the samples collected ranged from 10% to 52%.

Amount of calcite by address – the blue circles are proportional to the % calcite component.

Hatrurite

Hatrurite (Ca₃SiO_5, an important phase in cement clinker) also generally decreased or was not detected with increasing distance from the Adbri facility. The amount of hatrurite in the samples ranged from 2% to 30% and was not detected in five samples (green circles).

Amount of hatrurite by address – the blue circles are proportional to the % hatrurite component.

Quartz

Quartz (SiO_2, the most common mineral on earth and a major component of normal dust) generally increased with increasing distance from the Adbri facility. This indicates more natural/normal dust moving away from the Adbri facility. The amount of quartz in the samples ranged from 16% to 71%.

Amount of quartz by address – the blue circles are proportional to the % quartz component.

What caused the recent dust event at Birkenhead?

On 17 May 2024 Adbri confirmed that the major sources of the dust event (being clinker dust) that occurred on 13 and 14 May 2024 were due to mechanical issues with a fan at its site, and an open vent in the clinker storage shed. Adbri has implemented actions to stop the dust emissions linked to the dust event and put in place corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

What is clinker?

Clinker is the basic component of Portland Cement.

What’s the EPA’s role and what has the EPA done in response to this dust event?

As South Australia’s independent environment protection regulator, the EPA has undertaken a range of actions to understand and verify the impact of the dust event on the community and the environment, including:

• analysing local air quality monitoring data
• undertaking site inspections of the Adbri facility
• environmental observations
• coordinated dust sampling
• serving a formal request to Adbri for information regarding the dust event.

The EPA is assessing all information obtained since 13 May 2024. This information, as well as some that is still to be provided by Adbri, pursuant to the formal request, will inform the EPA’s compliance and enforcement response.

What is the EPA doing in response to community concerns about ongoing dust from Adbri?

The EPA is working to ensure that continuous improvement of dust controls remains an important focus in its regulation of Adbri by conducting regular inspections and assessing its control measures. Adbri is required to implement dust control measures to minimise impacts of its cement production operations at Birkenhead and the EPA expects significant further improvements to be put in place to reduce dust emissions from the site on an-ongoing basis.

Does the EPA conduct air quality monitoring in Birkenhead?

Yes. The EPA conducts real-time monitoring in Birkenhead of the smaller health-impacting particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter (PM₁₀) and particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM_2.5) in the ambient air as part of its continuous air quality monitoring program across metropolitan Adelaide. One micrometre (µm) is 1 millionth of a metre or 1 thousandth of a millimetre.

Real-time public access to EPA data is available by visiting its air quality monitoring page.

Is there any dust monitoring undertaken by Adbri?

To observe the effectiveness of its dust management, Adbri is required to continuously monitor at locations within its site for particles as total suspended particles (TSP), PM₁₀ and PM_2.5.

Adbri also monitors at an off-site location in the adjacent community, and the EPA requires Adbri to provide public access to its PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 data. The provision of real-time data is an approach consistent with other EPA licensed facility requirements.

The real-time public access to Adbri data is available on its monitoring page.

Was the dust event detected on EPA air quality monitors?

Data obtained from the EPA’s Birkenhead air quality monitor, located approximately 600 metres from the boundary of the Adbri facility, indicates that the relevant national air quality standards for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were not exceeded at this monitoring location during Adbri’s recent dust event on 13 and 14 May 2024. This means that PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 levels monitored by the EPA in the Le Fevre area met the national PM₁₀ standard of 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and 25 ug/m³ (for a 24-hour average).

However, the EPA has observed 1-hour peaks in PM₁₀ levels at its Birkenhead air quality monitoring station. These peaks have occurred during morning hours. While these peaks have not resulted in the exceedance of 24-hour based PM₁₀ standard, the EPA is working to better understand emission sources (including those present at Adbri) that may be responsible for short-term peak events.

At times, such as during 29 and 30 May 2024, PM₁₀ values were high across the Adelaide metropolitan area, which indicates a regional dust event. Regional dust events can be caused by dry and windy conditions.

What are the EPA licence requirements for Adbri?

Adbri is licensed by the EPA for the following activities of environmental significance:

• Cement works.
• Crushing, grinding and milling raw materials and clinker.
• Fuel burning: rate of heat released exceeding 5 megawatts.
• Bulk shipping facilities: unloading raw materials, loading of cement.
• Activities producing listed wastes, ie kiln dust.

The object of the licence is to prevent and minimise emissions and impacts associated with the operation of the facility. The licence requires Adbri to operate the cement works in compliance with specified plans and program, to monitor and report on its environmental performance and notify the EPA when specific emission limits are exceeded.

Conditions are included on Adbri’s licences to:

• control emissions
• manage operational matters that impact or monitor environmental performances
• set requirements for improved environmental performance, for example through an Environment Improvement Programme (EIP)
• address licence administrative requirements.

Adbri, along with all licensees, has a duty and obligation to comply with the Environment Protection Act 1993, including all of its licence conditions which are important to drive continuous improvement, and to prevent and minimise the chance of events that have negative environmental outcomes occurring. However they are unlikely to eliminate the risk of adverse events completely.

Adbri is required to regularly assess its risks and seek to improve its methods for eliminating or minimising those risks.

EPA licence

Further information, including operating management plans required by conditions of licence can be found on Adbri's website.

Understanding dust and health

What are particulates?

PM is particulate matter. PM can be made up of a variety of components including chemicals, metals, soil or dust particles, and allergens (such as fragments of pollen or mould spores). PM may contain microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are small enough to get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Large particles may irritate the nose, throat and eyes.

Particle size is a major determinant of how serious the health effect will be, especially for lung diseases and effects on the heart.

Microns, also known as micrometres (µm) are a length of measurement equal to one millionth of a metre – 1,000µm is equal to 1 mm.

PM2.5: Small particles less than 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter are called PM_2.5. They cannot be seen by the human eye. These particles pose the greatest problem because they can get deep into the lungs and some may get into the bloodstream.

PM₁₀: Slightly larger particles that are smaller than 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter are called PM₁₀. These particles can also cause serious health effects in susceptible individuals if the concentration is sufficiently high. These particles are very small and are not easily visible.

Total suspended particulate material (TSP) are particles that have diameters less than 50 µm and includes a mixture of large and fine particles. Larger particles (TSP) are generally trapped in our noses and throats, so they do not reach the lungs; however, they may cause irritation, nuisance and soiling of surfaces.

The image below shows the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 particle sizes relevant to other well-known particles such as sand and salt.

What are the national and international air quality standards?

Australia’s national health-based standards are stricter than those in the US and EU.

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard of Australia is:

• 50 µg/m³ limit for 24-hour ambient PM₁₀
• 8 µg/m³ limit for annual average ambient PM_2.5

More information available on-air quality legislation

The National Ambient Air Quality Standards of US is:

• 150 µg/m³ for 24-hour ambient PM₁₀
• 35 µg/m³ for 24-hour ambient PM_2.5
• 9.0 µg/m³ for annual average ambient PM_2.5 (averaged over 3 years)

More information on NAAQS

The EU Ambient Air Quality Standards are:

• 50 µg/m³ limit for 24-hour ambient PM₁₀
• 25/20 µg/m³ limit for annual average ambient PM_2.5

More information on EU air quality standards

Nuisance dust

Nuisance dust is not always easy to characterise. It is often referred to as total suspended particulate (TSP) matter or deposited dust, although the two terms are not the same.

The larger component particles may be irritating to the nose and throat, but they are too large to be breathed into the lungs.

They do not result in respiratory illness, and as such do not have health-based tolerable criteria or national standards.

However, dust events may often include proportions of fine particles (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), which do pose respiratory health risks for people but are not easily visible. Overall, dust (including the nuisance dust) is measured, analysed and regulated through health-based standards of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, instead of TSP or deposited dust.

What are the potential health effects from exposure to particulate matter?

There are many health effects from exposure to particulate matter. Numerous studies have shown associations between exposure to particles and increased hospital admissions as well as death from heart or lung diseases. Health effects can occur after both short- and long-term exposure to particulate matter.

Short-term exposure appears to exacerbate pre-existing diseases while long-term exposure most likely causes disease and increases the rate of progression.

Short-term exposure (hours to days) can lead to:

• irritation of the airways, eyes, nose and throat
• coughing, wheezing and difficulty in breathing
• worsening of asthma and lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD), increased frequency and severity of attacks and increases in hospital admissions.
  
  

Long-term exposure (many years) can lead to:

• reduced lung function
• development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
• increased rate of disease progression
• reduced life expectancy.
  
  

Can dust exposure affect my health?

Human health effects from dust relate mainly to the size of dust particles. The health impacts from exposure to dust is different for each person depending on how much particulate matter they inhale, how long they’re exposed, and any pre-existing medical conditions (please see FAQ on particulates for a further explanation).

Dust particles which are less than 10 and in particular less than 2.5 µg in diameter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), can affect the lungs and the heart.

Dust particles larger than PM₁₀ can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat but don’t reach the lungs.

Another measure of airborne dust is total suspended particles (TSP) which includes particles with diameters up to 100 micrometres. The health effects for TSP mainly arise from the fraction of particles below PM₁₀.

What do I do if I have symptoms from the dust?

People (adults and children) who have underlying health conditions, in particular, respiratory conditions should follow their existing action plan and speak to their health professional for further advice.

If dust is causing itchy eyes, nose and skin – wash well with water and if symptoms persist seek medical attention.

Health effects from various dusts can include:

• irritation of the airways, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing
• reduced lung function
• aggravate asthma, COPD and other chronic lung conditions.
• rarely, particles may also increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke in susceptible people.
  
  

If you are having difficulty in breathing, seek medical attention immediately by calling 000 or go to the emergency department.

Further information on asthma is available on the SA Health website.

Further information on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Can my fruit and vegetables still be consumed?

All fruit and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before consumption, this includes those grown in home gardens which can get contaminated with pathogens in the soil as well as environmental dust:

• scrub firm produce (eg potatoes, parsnips or carrots) with clean scrubbing brush to remove the dirt
• before using the produce wash thoroughly under cold tap water.
• trim, peel, or discard outer layer of vegetables (eg lettuce)
• dry the produce with clean disposable cloth
• for cutting, use chopping board specially for fruit and vegetables
• keep at chilled temperature 0– 5°C if not used immediately.
  
  

Is the rainwater in my tank safe to drink and water my garden?

SA Health advises rainwater collected in tanks generally contains few chemicals. However, there may be increased pollution by airborne contaminants from very heavy traffic or in industrial areas, including Birkenhead.

Collection of rainwater for human consumption (drinking and cooking) in areas affected by very heavy traffic, industry, incinerators and smelters is not recommended by SA Health.

More information is available on the SA Health website

What is the odour that I can smell in the area?

The EPA encourages the community to submit odour reports by email when they are experiencing an odour issue. Completing the odour diary, will help us to identify where the odour that some members of the community are experiencing may be coming from, why it is occurring, and allow us to determine what further action is required to collate evidence.

Who can I talk to about the damage to my property?

Anyone impacted by the event should contact Adbri directly via the 24/7 hotline 8300 0520 or via email.

More information: Dust event – Community Liaison Group Meeting – Adelaide Brighton Community

Health contact

For general health information SA Health can be contacted via email or call 8226 7100 and ask to speak to the Chemical and Environmental Hazards team.

Contact the EPA

The EPA is committed to keeping community members informed and updated. If you would like to talk to someone about your concerns, please contact the EPA:

• Phone: (08) 8124 4216
• Email