Mid West Ports Authority’s 2022-23 annual report reveals iron ore dust complaints dropped from 41 to 13

A significant drop in the number of complaints about dust from Geraldton Port impacting Fishing Boat Harbour has been recorded in the past financial year.

The Mid West Ports Authority’s 2022-23 annual report states it received 13 complaints about dust contaminating the neighbouring Fishing Boat Harbour compared to 41 in 2021-22, a reduction of 68 per cent.

In its annual report, MWPA states it had invested $1.15 million in 2022-23 into projects to improve dust emissions and air quality, including:

• Whole-of-port wind modelling to identify problem areas and solutions;
• Installation earlier this year of a 90-metre DustTamer fence along Marine Terrace;
• Installation of dust suppression fogging within the Berth 5 circuit;
• A product moisture monitor on Berth 5;
• The partial enclosure of the Berth 4 truck unloader and installation of dust hoods; and
• Recommissioning of cascade chute for Berth 4 loading operations

“To ensure the successful implementation of these initiatives, MWPA appointed a dedicated dust management project manager in late 2022,” the report states.

Previously the Geraldton Guardian had reported on concerns from users of the Fishing Boat Harbour, that iron ore dust was contaminating their vessels and buildings — costing them a lot to keep cleaning and repairing.

In June this year, the MWPA board committed to a 90 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2040.

Extra measures planned in 2023-24 to ensure dust impacts are controlled and complaints continue to decline include installing a fogger system on the Berth 5 ship loader chute, designed to reduce iron ore dust escaping from shiploading to the Fishing Boat Harbour.

The annual report states the MWPA had a comprehensive program of air quality monitoring, with results judged against licence conditions and reported to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation regularly.

MWPA must notify DWER within seven days if it exceeds air quality criteria for lead, copper and nickel, which must be thoroughly investigated and corrective action taken.

The port authority has a target of no more than three “air pollution non-compliances” annually. In 2022-23, there were two air pollution non-compliances.

“(This related to) metal concentrate loading on Berth 4 and Berth 6. MWPA has worked closely with stevedores and product owners to improve product loading procedures to ensure these incidents do not reoccur,” the annual report states.

“Improvement measures include operating hold-fogging systems to ensure any dust is contained within the vessel hold, and ensuring product moisture levels are accurately measures and adequate to limit dust generation.”

Iron ore made up 11.3 million tonnes of Geraldton Port’s total throughput of 17.4 million tonnes of product in 2022-23.