Aussie grants OTML permit for toxic wastes
Ok Tedi Mining Ltd has become the first company in the country to be given the Australian hazardous waste import permit for the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs.
PCBs are hazardous carcinogenic chemicals which can cause cancer.
OTML was granted the permit at the beginning of this month after working on this approval process that began in 2002.
In 1998, OTML undertook a PCB survey of transformer oil on site. Results ranged from less than 2ppm up to 265ppm PCB chemical concentration in the oil.
Oil and transformers are legally considered “hazardous” when the PCB concentration level is greater than 50ppm.
OTML power services drained and collected 9,600 litres of hazardous PCB-contaminated oil with an average PCB-concentration of 180ppm from 22 of the 25 smaller transformers that were identified as hazardous in the survey.
These empty transformers were then replaced with new ones.
Additionally, a very large transformer in the Folomian Switch Yard at the company’s Mill facility with only 13ppm PCB’s was also drained of contaminated oil (27,200L), even though it was below the hazardous level of 50ppm.
According to OTML’s environment department, a total of 36,800 litres of PCB-contaminated oil has already been drained from the transformers and 22 PCB-contaminated pole transformers replaced.
It revealed that there are still 11,000 litres of PCB-contaminated oil to be removed from a large transformer in Tabubil town.
PCB-contaminated oil has to be sent to Australia for treatment at a special waste facility in Brisbane.
The Australian hazardous waste import permit application process is very complex, requiring approval from both the Australian Federal and the Queensland State Governments following the PNG Government’s endorsement under the terms of the Waigani Convention.
The Waigani Convention is an agreement between many of the South Pacific countries (including PNG) to ban the importation of hazardous and radioactive wastes into the South Pacific, and to control the movement and management of hazardous wastes within the South Pacific region.
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