COODE ISLAND COMMUNITY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

COODE ISLAND COMMUNITY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

ADOPTED MINUTES

THURSDAY 1ST APRIL, 2004

PRESENT

Robin Saunders Colleen Hartland

CICCC/Chairperson Councillor/City of Maribyrnong

Faye Simpson Michael Isaachsen

Community Rep./Committee Community Rep./Committee

Carlo Fasolino Quentin Cooke

State Manager Terminals Pty Ltd/Committee Env. Protection Authority

Ian Thomas Robert Glavich

Community Rep./Committee Community Rep./Committee

Bronwyn Brookman Smith George Horman

Major Hazards/Worksafe Gen. Manager Terminals Pty Ltd

Peter La Rose Margaret Donnan

Operations Manager/Terminals Pty Ltd Mgr Regulatory Affairs/PACIA

Sue Chatterton Christine Morton

Minute Taker Lonely Planet/observer

Peter Brotherton

Committee Member

ITEM 1 WELCOME BY THE CHAIR

Robin welcomed everyone. Introduced Christine Morton from Lonely Planet.

ITEM 2 APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Jean King, Chris Watson (MFB), Theo Pykoulas

ITEM 3 CONFIRMATION OF THE DRAFT AGENDA

The draft agenda was adopted.

ITEM 4 BRIEF REPORT FROM AGENCIES AND TERMINALS PTY LTD ON KEY ISSUES

Terminals Pty Ltd

Carlo Fasolino presented Feb/March 2004 Operations report.

Attachments: Terminals Operations Report.

Contract extensions for East Side being finalised currently, Huntsman have signed, negotiations continuing with DOW – extensions now to 31/1/05. George Horman explained the extension negotiations exit policy. DOW and Huntsman can exit sooner if required. Contract is from 31/1/04 – 31/1/05 or 2,3 or 4 months earlier if required depending on completion of Marstell site.

East Side lease expire 31/1/06 – Terminals have to be remediated by that time. 3 months prior to 31/01/05 (or earlier if agreed) no ships allowed. 12 months to clean up sight prior to 31/1/06.

Michael asked “if Marstel don’t perform who suffers? Huntsman, Dow and would they pressure the government to extend lease”. George confirmed they would put pressure on the government to extend lease but that extension would be difficult as there are several processes to be completed prior to exit (12 months time frame) such as:

· Remediate soil

· Auditor independent EPA accredited to sign off

· EPA to accept

· Melbourne Port

Faye asked if there was a penalty involved for Huntsman and Dow. George then answered “no”. Terminals will not take further product. Marstel appear to be on track so should not be a problem.

Ian Thomas asked if there was any communication between Terminals Pty Ltd and Marstel. George answered “yes”

George spoke of Fred Johnson (ST Services) re Key manager Meeting in the USA. Kaneb have made several acquisitions and rationalisation and therefore Fred has retired. Mike Rose acting CEO – Kaneb Pipeline Company.

Carlo then spoke of combustor incident where a compressed air supply failure led to the combustor being shut down. Michael asked about the sequence of alarms that occurred. George then confirmed that he would review actions in the investigation.

Action: George/Carlo will inform committee regarding the outcome of investigations into the incident at the next meeting.

Incident whilst discharging product from a ship at No. 1 Maribyrnong Whard – leak from fittings. Incident resulted in a meeting of Shipping Agent, Port of Melbourne Corporation and Terminals. Michael asked how they dispose of product on ship deck. Peter answered saying a decontaminant would be placed on product if needed. TDI was the product involved in the incident. Ship was a Stolt accredited chemical carrier. When leak detected product transfer ceased and ship cleared of Terminals personnel.

Faye enquired as to what checks where undertaken prior to transfer of product. Peter informed all of extensive checklists that are required to be completed when a ship docks. Fire extinguishers ready, plugs, hoses etc which takes approx 40 minutes to complete. The main shipping lines that dock at the Terminals wharf are Dorval and Stolt. Periodic problem on otherwise safe ship. Hoses are checked yearly, tested and certified.

Faye then asked about checks on ships. Peter answered – “independent surveyors do thorough periodical checks on ships”.

George then asked Quentin to comment on a prior incident at Maribyrnong No.1 a few years ago. Quentin then spoke of the incident with regard to rust in pipelines due to a high corrosion rate at sea, also age of ships (30 years+). All ships are inspected and certified.

Carlo provided product storage information with regard to future storage in Plant C non-hazardous area.

Environment Protection Authority

Quentin Cook then spoke on behalf of the EPA

Following up from last meeting: the decision not to require a Works Approval for the refurbishment works at Plant C West.

Works approval and licence amendments not required if emissions are deemed insignificant. Document tabled stating emission levels that determined works approval. The products that Terminals Pty Ltd intends to store in new tanks is not deemed volatile.

Faye spoke of emission levels mentioned within the report and would the products planned to be stored at Terminals Pty Ltd emission levels be sufficient to set of alarms. George answered by referring to item (v) on document being the only one relevant. Very low threshold applies.

Faye then asked about blending. Peter stated no blending undertaken at Terminals Pty Ltd.

George stated that Terminals Pty Ltd are legally bound to store products in the tanks that the EPA were informed would be stored in the tanks.

Quentin also tabled a document stating the top 10 polluters (with respect to odours) in the Western Suburbs over a 5 year period.

Faye asked if similar data was available for particulates. Quentin responded that 80% of complaints about the chemical industry are triggered by odours. Complaints about particulates, and dust, mainly arise from quarries.

Incident of leak at P & O was then raised. Incident was a once off and not an ongoing problem. Ian Thomas then referred to the vapour emission (Ethyl Acrylate) from P & O and the magnitude of the issue in relation to the odours from Peerless (for example). For Terminals Pty Ltd to lose accreditation there would need to be more than one incident and be an on going problem. Odour complaints are the main source of complaints to the EPA. Incident was more of a Work Safe issue as 30 people went home sick. Bronwyn then stated as far as Work Safe was aware no report was made.

Colleen Hartland then asked “how big does an issue have to be before it is taken seriously” (directed to Bronwyn). Quentin confirmed that corrective action was taken prior to tanker leaving site. Colleen would like response from EPA on incident.

Action: Quentin Cooke

Faye highlighted complacency in community accepting odours and not complaining.

Colleen put forward details of an incident where EPA was notified via the after hours telephone answering service only to be told only one complaint so therefore would not bother investigating as site was of no concern to EPA. Colleen does not ring any more as considers exercise futile as EPA does not respond. (Colleen clarified that her concern was a personal and community one: she was not speaking for Council on this matter).

Quentin then reaffirmed EPA provides after hour service, 2 people in the evenings then answering machine. Field Officers assigned to investigate complaints. Not aware that complaints are not taken seriously. Phone operators are trained to take details, confirm complaints and send Field Officers out to investigate. Unable to cover all complaints and issues. Totally out of line for EPA operators to make those comments over the phone. Details are kept of complaints and Quentin will investigate the matter further.

Action: Colleen to list issues and present to Quentin.

Quentin assessment for Terminals Pty Ltd accreditation licence 6/4/04 hope to have put to authority for consideration. Corner stones – operation of site – 3 years high level performance. Should be achieved in April.

Michael asked if one significant incident in a 3 year period would prevent company from obtaining accreditation. Quentin then answered not necessarily, if several incidences then yes but otherwise no.

WorkSafe

Bronwyn then presented WorkSafe report

· Occupational Hygenist visit to Terminals Pty Ltd to investigate exposure to product whilst unloading

· Loading procedure

· Fall protection

· Forklift incident registered in significant incident report

· Sweeney Market Research – summary to be presented at the next meeting.

· Planning application for Terminals Pty Ltd

Peter felt forklift incidents would be relevant to many businesses.

Bronwyn then stated only Major Hazard measured in significance.

Action: Presentation of market research summary at next meeting

ITEM 5 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

Confirmed minutes of last meeting with two minor wording alterations. Page 2 “Safety Case”, Page 3 “available to the public”

ITEM 6 CORRESPONDENCE – IN/OUT

Correspondence out - None

Correspondence in: - Andrew Clifton resignation.

Letter to be sent thanking him for his contribution

Action: Robin Saunders

ITEM 7 ACTION ITEMS FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Quentin talked about the accredited licence procedure and confirmed to committee that Terminals Pty Ltd should have accreditation by end April. Quentin will provide more details when licence approved.

Improvement action report – Carlo to give to Robin.

ITEM 8 OTHER BUSINESS

Website

George wrote a letter to the present providers, aired complaints – no response and website still not updated from last November.

Recommend that we get another provider. Robin has sourced a provider who will put forward a proposal. Michael suggested we keep website simple. Robin and George will organise.

Action: George and Robin

New Product Storage

George spoke of Terminals Pty Ltd intention to store another product at the West Melbourne site. Terminals Pty Ltd notified committee of negotiating a contract for storage of another product and would like another special meeting scheduled to advise of conceptual details of proposal. 6^th May and 10^th June. George will confirm with Robin within next week if contract goes ahead.

Two special meetings to primarily focus on presentation of storage details. Peter Brotherton suggested meeting to be open to public. Quentin said that as site would already have accreditation, works approval would not be necessary. Georges’ personal preference to present details to committee first as commercial in confidence and then for 2^nd meeting to be advertised.

ITEM 9 AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING

Action: Robin

ITEM 10 NEXT MEETING DATES

SPECIAL MEETINGS 6^TH MAY, 2004 and 10^TH JUNE, 2004

SCHEDULED MEETINGS 15 or 22 JULY (date to be finalised ASAP), 14 OCTOBER, 9 DECEMBER 2004.

MEETING CLOSED: 8:35 PM