AS THE federal government dumps the carbon tax for an emissions trading scheme (ETS), Hobsons Bay’s biggest manufacturers say they are continually cutting carbon pollution and carcinogenic discharges.
Qenos’ cogeneration tower, which provides most of its plant’s electricity and supplies steam for its operations, is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 100,000 tonnes per year.
Les Harman, senior environmental adviser at Qenos, said like any refinery, the plastics manufacturer had a number of hydrocarbon and metal emissions.
“There’s a raft of different hydrocarbon emissions that do come out, but in the main there’s no odour coming from the site.
“Some of the emissions are carcinogenic but if you look at the EPA regulations there are limits on all of these and we’re well below those limits. They’re no different to any other plant like ourselves, or cars, or anything else.”
Mr Harman said it was “a fact of life” that Qenos was named on the government’s list of Australia’s top 500 polluters.
“How do I feel about it? We’re producing a product that adds value to the community, like when we drive a car or anything else, greenhouse emissions are part of that.”
Exxon Mobil spokeswoman Melanie Saliba said the Altona refinery had made significant environmental improvements in recent years, such as cutting flare use by an average of 10 per cent each year since 2006, and by 15 per cent for the past two years.
Toyota Australia spokeswoman Beck Angel said the Altona car manufacturer welcomed the move to a floating carbon price aligned with international pricing. She said it was too early to tell how the ETS would impact Toyota’s profit.
“Regardless of the change Toyota Australia supports action on climate change . . . since 2000, we have achieved a 22 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions per vehicle.”
