Ipswich Residents Demand Answers Over Unapproved Nickel Waste Dumping

For decades, Ipswich in south-east Queensland has been the dumping ground for waste from around Australia. Now long-suffering residents complain a company has begun importing by-products of nickel refining, known as ferronickel slag, from overseas to the area without the proper development approvals. Jackie Moon Property Corporation, a subsidiary of Pacific Green Industries, was last year issued a show cause notice by the Ipswich City Council in relation to the dumping ground in the suburb of Tivoli. The slag is understood to originate in New Caledonia, with the company having links to the country’s top nickel companies, according to its website. "Ipswich City Council (Council) reasonably believes that you have committed or are committing a development offence," the show cause notice reads. "Investigations carried out by council officers have revealed that you are using the premises for the storage of heavy vehicles (earthmoving heavy machinery) and for the storage of a stockpile of nickel ferrite slag." It is understood the company was also issued a fine by the council – but the amount is unknown. Scott Hendry lives next door to the development and said he was concerned about the environmental impacts of storing the slag and the noise impacts caused by truck movements and other machinery. "The neighbours have been complaining they’ve had lots of dust in their houses, as I have myself. The people who live across from the front of the property, where the main entrance is, just can't sit on their verandah anymore because there’s so much dust." He said he did not have faith or trust in the development, because of the way it began operating without the required council approvals. "It all started under the cover of darkness," he said. What is ferronickel slag? According to a Pacific Green Industries spokesperson, the material is both "government-approved and non-hazardous". "The material is classified by both the Australian federal government and the Queensland government as an environmentally friendly resource which plays an important role in Queensland’s circular economy," they said. "[It] meets strict environmental criteria and has been used safely and successfully for decades in bricks, blocks, concrete sleepers, roof tiles and other construction applications across the USA, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. "The material currently meets strong demand from leading Australian construction materials companies as this 100 per cent recycled product provides a high-performing, low-carbon alternative to natural sand. "Its use significantly reduces the need for environmentally harmful sand mining and quarrying." Status of development The Ipswich City Council has since received a development application from the company’s subsidiary to develop the site. "Council is currently assessing a development application in accordance with the Planning Act 2016," a spokesperson said. "Council has sought a range of additional information from the applicant and is yet to receive an information response. Once this response has been provided, the application will proceed to public notification and will be formally assessed by council’s independent officers." It is understood this process could take at least 12 months. But local advocate Danielle Mutton said this was the latest example of businesses in the wider waste industry taking Ipswich residents for granted. She said a government report last year found landfills that dump waste from around the country were impacting residents’ health, while other companies in the waste industry havefaced large fines for not doing the right thing. "The issue with ferronickel slag … those stockpiles, there is basically no dust suppression. They are just exposed to the elements. "We need to see stronger fines for non-compliance. It seems like that there's a lot of slack given to companies who do the wrong thing." A spokesperson for Pacific Green Industries said they were "committed to ensuring the material is stored, handled and transported responsibly". "The current stockpile is temporary, with an expected on-site duration of 12 to 18 months as the material is being progressively supplied to local customers for production of building materials," they said. "Robust environmental safeguards are in place, including erosion and sediment controls, dust suppression, noise mitigation and carefully managed truck movements. "With established demand and clear environmental approvals, the material will not remain unused or abandoned; instead, it will continue to support Queensland’s transition toward greener construction practices."