Smelter company ‘turned Port Pirie creek waters toxic’

A Port Pirie smelter company is being prosecuted for polluting the environment, and officials say its 700-litre acid spill left a creek toxic for four days.

Aerial photo of the Nystar Smelter in Port Pirie. Picture: Simon Cross

Hundreds of litres of acid that spilled from a smelter into a Port Pirie creek rendered 1400m of waterways toxic to fish and other aquatic life for four days, a court has heard.

Documents filed with the Environment Resources and Development Court allege metals company Nyrstar caused serious environmental harm by polluting First Creek in January 2019.

The state’s environmental watchdog has alleged the company rendered the waters “bioavailable” by contaminating it with lead, copper and zinc.

“This elevated the levels (of those metals) in the water to levels harmful to fish and other biota (life),” it says.

“The acidic conditions and mixture of highly bioavailable materials created harmful conditions for a distance of approximately 1400m.”

In March, the Environment Protection Authority announced it would prosecute Nyrstar over the spill, which occurred on January 31, 2019.

At that time, Nyrstar said it had altered its practices but declined to further comment.

In its court documents, the EPA charges the company with one count of causing serious environmental harm by polluting the environment.

It asserts the spill emanated from Nyrstar’s facility on Ellen St, Port Pirie.

“Nyrstar polluted the Environment by discharging, or alternatively by failing to prevent the discharge of, approximately 700L of sulphuric acid into the waters of First Creek,” it asserts.

“That act caused the PH levels of the waters to drop to levels harmful to fish and other biota.

“It also caused First Creek to become highly bioavailable, resulting in elevated concentrations of lead, copper and zinc.”

The EPA asserts the effect of the spill was not short-lived.

“The PH levels continued to be elevated until approximately midday on February 1, 2019,” it asserts.

“The concentrations of copper, lead and zinc in First Creek continued to be elevated until February 3, 2019.”

In court, counsel for Nyrstar asked for further time to “have discussions” about the charges with the EPA.

However, they asked that the court “preserve” the sentencing discount available to companies that admit fault within four weeks of charges being filed.

Judge Paul Muscat agreed and adjourned the case until August.

Originally published as Smelter company ‘turned Port Pirie creek waters toxic’