Quantong residents raise concerns at EPA meeting on May 26

The meeting, hosted by an independent chair, was set up as part of section 20B of the Environment Protection Act 1970 if a given application receives sufficient interest.

Dozens of community members attended the meeting, which was capped at 100 people due to COVID restrictions.

Quantong resident Sharnee Lockhart was pleased with how the meeting went.

"It went really well. We got across a few issues that [the independent chairman] hadn't had in his report so far," Ms Lockhart said.

READ MORE:

"Everybody had some really good, valid questions and the questions were spread across all the residents, it was very even. There wasn't just one person speaking," she said.

Those concerns included the noise pollution, salt content in the air, erosion caused by caustic soda, and the "incompetence" they allege has been shown by Australian Plant Proteins in managing their Horsham plant.

"It's already caused community outrage. What's to say that incompetence won't be replicated at [the wastewater plant] if they're given permission to complete it?" Ms Lockhart said, in reference to the odour emitted during the commissioning of the plant's wastewater filters.

Phil McFarlane, executive director of Australian Plant Proteins, assured the community that the issue was only temporary and that a specially made tarp roof would be put in place to minimise the further problems.

Peter Blair, who owns the Quantong site, said that he was glad the community could air their concerns.

"I believe we can make it work, but the community will need to see that there'll be stringent parameters in place making sure the community's concerns are met," Mr Blair said.

"It's not like we'd just be allowed to do whatever; we need to follow a procedure and make sure everything's fine.

"I'm not about to do something that isn't going to be sustainable and environmentally sound. I've been here a long time."

The APP plant is set to expand shortly after a $45.7 million investment by US agri-food giant Bunge and is set to double its production output.

Mr Blair said that the region had been "crying out for a value add" and that Australian Plant Proteins brought that to the area.

MORE NEWS:

However, community members also raised their distrust at the proponents' during the meeting, citing the fact that construction began late last year, before works approval from both council and the EPA.

"If they have been so remiss in these fundamentals, how can they be trusted to be competent in building and managing the facility they have proposed?" Ms Lockhart said.

Previously, an EPA spokesman said the authority had investigated the early construction and issued Water Sustainability Ltd a sanction in the form of a formal warning.

However, the spokesman noted that this would not prevent the company from receiving a permit.

Mr Blair said that the EPA's process is being followed.

OTHER NEWS:

Ms Lockhart acknowledged that many residents' concerns are likely a council issue rather than falling within the EPA's jurisdiction.

Independent Chairman Rob Carolane, who chaired the 20B conference, said he couldn't comment on the meeting until his formal recommendations concerning the site's application are handed down.

Mr Carolane will write a report summarising community concerns and recommend the EPA's consideration in two weeks.

The EPA's Development and Assessments Manager, Stephen Adamthwaite, said the agency would continue processing the application while Mr Carolane compiles his report.

"From here our team will continue our technical assessment of the proposal. The application is currently on hold while we look through information provided to us by the proponent as part of the Section 20B notice," Mr Adamthwaite said.

"Our team will make an assessment in the coming days," Mr Adamthwaite said, adding the timeline was challenging to judge at present.

One element that may delay a decision is the new Environmental Protection Act which comes into effect on July 1.

"That in of itself could delay the decision," Mr Adamthwaite said.

"Whilst it's still possible we make the decision ahead of that, it's seeming more and more likely that it will be after," he said.

The application, lodged by Water Sustainability Farm Pty Ltd, would treat waste from Australian Plant Proteins in Horsham and would consist of "solar drying evaporation basins and a sludge drying pad for the processing of food manufacturing by-products."

The facility would manage an estimated 57,000 litres of saline waste a day, along with up to five cubic metres of "dewatered sludge".

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: