Kanmantoo & Callington (Neutrog)
Neutrog Holdings Pty Ltd (Neutrog) is located at Kanmantoo, and is a manufacturer of biological fertilisers.
The company was first licensed by the EPA in 1995 to undertake composting works. In 2011 Neutrog ceased operations and surrendered its EPA licence.
In mid-2018 the company renewed composting operations at its Kanmantoo site to assist with the management of a disease which threatened the viability of the state’s poultry industry.
Accordingly, with oversight from PIRSA and Biosecurity SA, the EPA issued Emergency Authorisations to Neutrog to process contaminated poultry waste between late 2018 and late 2019.
EPA licence for composting
Composting is a ‘Prescribed Activity of Environmental Significance’ defined in Schedule 1 Part A, 3(2) of the Environment Protection Act 1993 (EP Act). The Act requires these types of activities to be licensed and provides the EPA with a means of regulating such operations through licence conditions. An EPA licence may only be granted after development approval has been provided by the relevant development authority, which in this case is the Mount Barker District Council.
Once development approval was granted by the council, Neutrog applied to the EPA for a licence to conduct composting works at its Kanmantoo site.
Granting of the licence
In 2020, the EPA undertook public consultation in relation to Neutrog’s application. In accordance with statutory requirements, the EPA notified neighbouring properties directly via mail and published details of the application on its website.
An EPA licence was subsequently granted under which a number of conditions were placed on the company.
Licence inclusions
The licence includes conditions requiring the company to develop the following plans:
- odour management plan
- dust management plan
- community engagement plan
- groundwater monitoring plan
These conditions are enforceable and the EPA can take a number of different actions, including prosecution, if the licence conditions are not met.
The licence restricts operations to those occurring in accordance with current development approval.
Odour and dust
The EPA has conducted a number of inspections at the site since February 2020 as a result of community concern about odour and dust.
In June 2020 discussions were held regarding the need for an odour management plan to be included in the EPA licence, as well as keeping vehicular traffic areas clean of 'spill', managing stockpile heights and having an appropriate complaint reporting and management system.
In May 2020 the EPA commenced odour monitoring in Kanmantoo and the surrounding area. In early December 2020 the EPA implemented a regular odour profiling program for Kanmantoo and Callington.
To date odour monitoring has been conducted 14 times in Kanmantoo, Callington and surrounding areas. Odour levels have not exceed requirements of the EP Act and associated policies. Monitoring is continuing due to community concerns.
Since Neutrog recommenced composting operations in 2018 the EPA has received very few complaints about dust from the facility. Inspections and monitoring undertaken by the EPA since February 2020 have not found dust from the site to be causing an environmental nuisance and Neutrog is not breaching its licensing conditions.
EPA air quality scientists believe it is highly unlikely that dust particles typically associated with composting will travel far from the site.
Neutrog have recently purchased a water misting cannon for dust suppression on site, and it is possible that, from a distance, this mist could be mistaken for dust.
Community updates
Further information
For all enquiries, please contact the EPA on (08) 8204 2004 or via email. This line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the case of an emergency. If the matter is not urgent you will have your call returned within business hours.
For health-related queries, please contact SA Health on (08) 8226 7100.
