Dust management, monitoring and analysis

Management of dust is a vital aspect of quarrying activities and has been the subject of increased community concern at this site since 2021.

Since February 2021, Hanson has been required to establish a dust monitoring system. More recently the EPA further strengthened Hanson’s licence with a new condition requiring it to develop and implement a Dust Management Plan (DMP). This will facilitate the identification of potential dust sources, installation of a dust monitoring system, dust management strategies and complaint management. The plan also enables use of real-time monitoring data to demonstrate compliance with EPA health criteria and to identify, in the shorter term, nuisance dust. The monitoring will inform early actions to prevent off-site dust impact.

ON 13 September 2021 Hanson commenced its Ambient Air Quality Campaign (PM10) after active engagement with the EPA, DEM and other stakeholders.

On 19 April 2022 the EPA issued an expiation to Hanson for failing to develop and submit a Dust Management Plan to the satisfaction of the EPA. This plan has now been submitted and approved by the EPA.

Since May 2022, the EPA has been provided with and analysed the data on a monthly basis. Until 31 August 2022 the EPA has noted two exceedances of particulate matter 10 micrometres or less (PM10). All results have been below health criteria and comparable to the EPA’s permanent air quality monitoring stations in Adelaide and Netley, with the exception of two days in late June 2022 where it is believed a controlled burn was conducted in the surrounding area and captured by Hanson’s equipment.

See 'Respirable Crystalline Silica' (RCS) section below for information on RCS-specific monitoring.