The Office of the Environmental Protection Authority is reviewing the latest round of 58 monitoring results for the Magellan Metals lead carbonate project.
OEPA General Manager Kim Taylor said the results – which were posted on Magellan’s website today - formed part of a monitoring regime of 300 points along the transport route from Wiluna to Fremantle which included rainwater, soil, air quality, dust, drainage sump and seabed samples.
While 57 of the results showed no trace of Magellan lead in the environment, one of the seabed results was inconclusive and is being re-examined.
“As part of the Ministerial approval conditions that apply to the project, the company is required to conduct this sampling on a regular basis to confirm that lead carbonate, which is transported in double lined bags within locked shipping containers, is not entering the environment.”
Mr Taylor said where lead is detected above baseline levels, Magellan is required to notify authorities and then undertake isotopic testing to confirm Magellan lead has not entered the environment.
He said that for the most recent round of monitoring 17 samples were above the baseline level, including:
- 14 marine sediment samples in the Fremantle port;
- 2 rainwater samples along the rail route; and
- 1 static dust sample.
“Magellan immediately notified authorities of these results and, in accordance with the approval conditions, the company sought isotopic testing through the WA Chemistry Centre to determine whether the lead was of Magellan origin.”
“The isotopic testing confirms that Magellan lead was not present in 16 of the 17 samples. The analysis of one of the marine sediment samples was not able to confirm with sufficient certainty that it did not contain Magellan lead.
“In view of the high degree of public interest in this issue, I have asked Magellan to conduct further tests to put the matter beyond doubt.”
Mr Taylor said the monitoring results were available on the company website.
The Department of Health had confirmed that lead levels detected posed no public health risk.
Magellan Metals is not currently transporting lead following the Minister’s decision to issue an Order earlier this year. In December 2010, Magellan Metals advised the OEPA of air quality results within sea containers which exceeded agreed levels.
The company has subsequently advised the results were based on laboratory calculation errors.The OEPA is considering the information provided by Magellan and the report of an independent expert on the air quality monitoring results, and will provide advice to the Minister on its conclusions.
OEPA: Kim Taylor, 6467 5600
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