BHP plans to invest up to a further $300 million over five years to improve air quality and reduce dust emissions across its Pilbara operations.
Over the past decade, BHP has invested $400 million in projects which aim to minimise dust emissions across the company’s supply chain.
BHP General Manager Port Operations, Nilson Davila, said: “BHP has reviewed global best practice dust scheme, management and air quality control methods and identified new opportunities to further improve our approach.”
“We recognise we have a shared responsibility to address dust issues in the Pilbara,” Nilson said.
“We have worked, and will continue to work closely with government, industry and the community to further improve air quality controls at our operations and for the communities in which we operate.”
The Pilbara Air Quality program involves:
- The construction of wind fences at port operations, a method that has been proven to significantly reduce the potential for dust lift-off from stockpiles.
- Trialling construction of vegetation barriers to capture dust in the West End in Port Hedland, in partnership with Curtin University and Greening Australia.
- Implementation of operational dust control projects across the company’s entire Pilbara supply chain, such as moisture management systems, ore conditioning and monitoring infrastructure, and improvements across our existing controls at its mines and port.
BHP highlights that individual projects will still be subject to all necessary internal and State Government approvals.
“The planned investment signals BHP’s strong commitment to the Pilbara, and particularly to the revitalisation of the West End into a vibrant commercial hub,” Nilson commented.
“In consultation with the community we want to ensure we help to improve local amenity while also continuing to provide jobs and economic opportunity for the region.”
BHP supports the government’s proposed voluntary buyback scheme, revitalisation of the West End and remains committed to working with government, industry and the local community on the recommendations of the Port Hedland Dust Management Taskforce Report, including the development by Department of Water and Environmental Regulation of best practice guidelines for bulk handling facilities and their implementation.
