Environment protection
The Kurnell refinery is on a site of environmental importance on the Kurnell Peninsula. To ensure the site remains this way we:
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Monitor and report on environmental performance |
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Liaise with government agencies and local community |
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Identify and develop improvement programs |
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Implement good environmental practices |
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Have a full-time team that ensure the environmental management plan is in place |
Environmental regulation
The Kurnell refinery operates under a license granted under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and administered by the NSW Environment Protection Authority [EPA]. A number of pollution reduction programs are in place including:
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Fugitive emission study and reduction program |
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Effluent improvement pollution reduction program |
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Cooling water discharge pollution reduction program |
A copy of our current environmental protection license can be accessed at the online public register of EPA licenses ( www.dec.nsw.gov.au ).
Further investment in environmental performance
We have invested in a range of initiatives including:
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Replacement of the existing CDU No 3 furnace with a new furnace using ultra-low NOx burners |
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New stack monitoring equipment |
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Upgrade of the sulfur recovery plant to improve reliability |
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Upgrade to the septic waste handling systems |
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Upgrade to the stormwater treatment facilities |
Emergency and incident management
We perform regular tests and exercises of our emergency response capabilities. Emergencies can be reported to:
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The Kurnell Refinery Community Concerns Hotline: 1800 802 385 |
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The corporate hotline: 1800 033 111 |
| Both are manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. |
The Environmental Hotline received 100 and 110 complaints in 2002 and 2003 respectively.
Health and Safety
We've set up a number of initiatives to improve Health and Safety performance. The Total Treated Injury Frequency Rate has reduced.
Partnering with the community
We actively engage and support the community in the following ways:
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The Kurnell Progress and Precinct Association – residents are encouraged to air concerns |
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Newsletters and brochures on special projects for information evenings |
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Emergency response desktop exercises |
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Representatives serve on Sutherland Shire Council committees and liaise with government |
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The Kurnell Reference Group |
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Providing over $140,000 per annum in support of community organisations |
Environment protection
We are aware of the ecologically sensitive nature of the land neighbouring the Lytton refinery. The Refinery Manager leads management of the refinery's environmental performance with support from the Environmental Superintendent and an Environmental Specialist.
Environmental regulation
We volunteer as a 'Partner for Healthy Waterways' with the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We aim to reduce the volume of wastewater discharged from the site and continue to move towards best practice.
The EPA licence sets the environmental monitoring and reporting requirements for the site. There were three license exceedances at the refinery in 2002. They concerned mercury, cadmium, and discharge of oil-contaminated stormwater.
There were seven in 2003; six exceedances of water quality limits with bypass of contaminated stormwater, and one emission of FCCU catalyst to air.
Investment in environmental performance
We have invested in a range of initiates including:
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Erosion control works on Lytton Hill |
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Land farming of hydrocarbon impacted soils |
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New stack monitoring program |
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Replacing fixed roofs with floating covers/roofs in storage tanks |
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An effective waste management program |
Emergency and incident management
We perform regular tests and exercises of our emergency response capabilities. The 24-hour environmental hotline is in place: 1800 675 487. The number of complaints received has steadily fallen from 52 in 2001 to 16 in 2003.
Health and safety
We've set up a number of initiatives to improve Health and Safety performance. The Total Treated Injury Frequency Rate has reduced.
Partnering with local community
We surveyed 200 residents of the local community about their views on living in the vicinity of major hazardous facilities including Caltex. Two thirds of people said they were concerned about living near a chemical production and storage area and were worried about incidents. Ninety-three percent considered the petrochemical industry to be important to the community and 60% thought that petrochemical companies in the Brisbane River area were well run.
We actively engage and support the community in the following ways:
The text above is a summary of chapters 10 and 11 of the Caltex Environment, Health, Safety & Community Report for 2002 & 2003. Please use the links on the right to view or download pdf files of these chapters or the entire report.
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