Coal trains in the suburbs (plus other transport issues)

[ozbob]

As we suggested, motor vehicle emissions, rubber tyres,  are the real issue ...

[HappyTrainGuy]

What about that cement place down at Teneriffe. The residents must be coated in that stuff! 

[ozbob]

When I first moved to Darra, the cement works was going full pelt (1992).  There was a little bit of white dust from that on the roofs, but nothing really major (and no coal dust either ..).  Around 1998 the big chimney was pulled down at the Cement works.  It was a big event locally, they set up a viewing area and my family went down there to watch the fall of the big chimney (we in Queensland after all    ... ).  Quite a day for the locals.  Anyway ... I would suggest that Teneriffe is probably not a major issue.

...He tells about the time the landmark cement
factory at Darra was demolished.
"I went up to see the chimneys coming
down. They blew a hole in the bottom and the
chimneys came down...very sad. It's an era that
will never be repeated. QCL was a way of life."

QCL= Queensland Cement and Lime Co.

Interesting yarn http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/~/media/msqinternet/msqfiles/home/publications/seascape/pdf_seascape_vol5_issue2.pdf page 4

[ozbob]

Large coal stockpiles now ... these are potentially much more of a risk than the trains as such.

Couriermail --> EXCLUSIVE: City's suburban coal dust hazard puts fear in the air as uncovered coal blows into homes from Port of Brisbane

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Transport and storage practices blamed for coal dust pall

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Coal dust slips through reporting cracks

Coal dust slips through reporting cracks
December 18, 2012 - 12:01AM
Tony Moore

The Port of Brisbane does not have to tell Queensland's Environment Department how effectively it deals with coal dust, it was revealed yesterday.

Questions were raised after The Courier-Mail reported residents living downwind of the Port of Brisbane - where coal is stockpiled - are suffering asthma and dirty walls and cars.

Last night, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection confirmed that the Port of Brisbane must meet guidelines which suggest coal dust deposits must be less than 120 milligrams per square metre per day.

However brisbanetimes.com.au received confirmation yesterday that the Port of Brisbane is not asked to regularly report its coal handling processes to the department.

This has ''worried '' senior environmental staff.

''That could change,'' one officer said late yesterday.

This followed comments from Environment and Heritage Protection minister Andrew Powell on 4BC radio yesterday that he was concerned at new allegations of coal dust problems at the Port of Brisbane.

''We take that seriously. We, as the Environment and Heritage Protection Agency, do condition the stockpiling of coal at ports,'' Mr Powell said.

He said he wanted to separate the allegations along the rail line - including Tennyson, where he said recent testing showed coal dust was well below the health guidelines - from the port.

He said he had no information about the level of coal dust from the Port of Brisbane.

''As I said, we condition the port operations, including the stockpiling and we will investigate these recent allegations.''

Fairfax Media was told yesterday that the Environment Department has not had a complaint about coal dust from the port since 2007.

However it was revealed that Queensland Bulk Handling - which runs the stockpiling of coal operations at the Port of Brisbane - is not asked for regular update of controlling coal dust.

''As such, Queensland Bulk Handling is not currently required to provide coal dust monitoring data to the department,'' an Environment Department spokeswoman said yesterday.

The department can ask Queensland Bulk Handling to report its monitoring within 14 days if a complaint is received under the conditions of its export permit, the spokeswoman said.

''However, to date the department has not received any coal dust complaints related to the site since 2007.''

The stockpile of coal at the Port of Brisbane has tripled since 2003, growing from 3.6 million tonnes of coal in 2003 to 8.9 million tonnes in 2012.

Some mining companies - including New Hope which has a commercial interest in Queensland Bulk Handling - have promised to begin coal ''veneering'' in 2013.

Veneering is a process of spraying a ''sticky polymer'' over coal in coal wagons to stop it blowing in the wind.

Meanwhile Katter's Australia Party leader Ray Hopper said coal wagons should be covered.

"It is simply not good enough for coal, either in stockpiles or on trains, to be uncovered,'' he said.

''It is a serious health issue and affects quality of life and home prices."

Mr Hopper said the commercial benefit to the state should be balanced against the impact on surrounding areas.

"Surely it is not too much to ask that stockpiles or trains are covered," he said.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/coal-dust-slips-through-reporting-cracks-20121217-2bjjx.html#ixzz2FKVcq7rd

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> State Government puts coal dust polluters on notice with plans for further testing

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> LNP MP Vaughan Johnson warned Queensland Parliament coal dust could be bigger health problem than asbestos

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times 22nd December 2012 page 7

Group calls for rail coal dust inquiry

[ozbob]

OGL Resources --> http://www.oglltd.com/index.htm

Media release 17th December 2012

--> http://www.oglltd.com/PDF/ASX17Dec12_Road%20Transport%20Approval%20Process%20Underway.pdf

[ozbob]

This morning on 612 ABC Radio Premier Newman was interviewed by Steve Austin. There was a talk back caller who raised the issue of noise with the coal trains.  Think it might have been a Darra caller, however what was interesting was that the Premier actually spoke at length on the coal dust issue and suggested that something will have to be done eg. veneering, as tonnage is ramped up. He also said, that we need to get trucks off the roads and make better use of rail.  He also mentioned the possibility of a new rail line into the port.

Interview --> here!

Premier's comments re noise/coal dust from 21.40 timing mark on the interview.

".. get trucks off the road, better rail solutions .. "

also mentioned the alternative line to the Port ...

Worth remembering ...

[huddo45]

OGL Resources --> http://www.oglltd.com/index.htm

Media release 17th December 2012

--> http://www.oglltd.com/PDF/ASX17Dec12_Road%20Transport%20Approval%20Process%20Underway.pdf

They were rather coy about sharing the number of trucks with the media. You'll find it here though.

http://www.oglltd.com/PDF/ASX1Nov12_Presentation-Mining2012.pdf

Three trucks per hour at the beginning for 600,000 tonnes per annum. Later (2017) to become
1,500,000  tonnes, all by road.

They later plan to open a second mine and use rail to Fisherman Islands, like they should have done in the first place.

Don't fancy sharing the roads with all those B Doubles? You can vote here (Queensland Times article)

http://tinyurl.com/ckxd4oq

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Calls for independent inquiry into uncovered coal trains in Brisbane

[mufreight]

It is obvious that there are those who do not want the coal trains covered or venered to stop any posibility of dust, they want the trains stopped at any cost.

[SurfRail]

It is obvious that there are those who do not want the coal trains covered or venered to stop any posibility of dust, they want the trains stopped at any cost.

And would no doubt be perfectly happy for that coal to be carried on the Warrego, as long as they don't have to think about it.

[mufreight]

It is obvious that there are those who do not want the coal trains covered or venered to stop any posibility of dust, they want the trains stopped at any cost.

And would no doubt be perfectly happy for that coal to be carried on the Warrego, as long as they don't have to think about it.

Think you will find that they do not want it carried anywhere by any means of transport.

[SurfRail]

It is obvious that there are those who do not want the coal trains covered or venered to stop any posibility of dust, they want the trains stopped at any cost.

And would no doubt be perfectly happy for that coal to be carried on the Warrego, as long as they don't have to think about it.

Think you will find that they do not want it carried anywhere by any means of transport.

The hard core ideologues probably yes.  Most of their supporters probably couldn't give a rats as long as it doesn't go near them.  Nature of human self-interest.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Simple cleaning of empty coal wagons could be cutting down dust pollution problems

Simple cleaning of empty coal wagons could be cutting down dust pollution problems

    by: Tuck Thompson
    From: The Courier-Mail
    January 07, 2013 12:00AM

CLEANING empty coal wagons would reduce pollution by potentially harmful coal dust, says a 2008 study ignored by the Queensland Government and the coal industry.

Experts say there is as much coal dust pollution spread from unloaded wagons as from wagons loaded with coal.

The study, conducted for Queensland Rail by consultant Connell Hatch, found cleaning wagons was a practical and cost-effective way to reduce pollution.

Yet there are no facilities at the Port of Brisbane to clean wagons and no plans to develop any - either by the Port, coal producers or coal train operator Aurizon, formerly Queensland Rail National.

QR's study, which addressed coal dust-mitigation strategies in central Queensland, says the onus is on industry to ensure wagons are relatively clean when they return to mines.

The report says an estimated 13 tonnes of coal remained inside each wagon after unloading. Washing wagons would reduce coal dust emissions by 100 tonnes a year.

The consultants said washing wagons using a combination of recycled water and air would be effective.

"This technique has a medium practicability score of 3.92 out of 5, indicating that this system would be relatively easy to implement and have minimal effect upon operations across the coal chain.

"Whilst the capital investment is relatively large for this mitigation strategy, each of the coal ports is located within communities that are sensitised to coal dust impacts," the report says, adding that coal dust pollution could be "substantially eliminated" with cleaning.

Residents along Brisbane's coal corridor have been complaining for months about coal dust from export coal shipments to Fisherman Islands.

Darling Downs coal producers are expected to spray adhesive "veneer" on their wagons beginning in late March, but have said nothing about cleaning or veneering returning wagons or veneering coal stockpiles at the Port.

Member for Yeerongpilly Carl Judge said coal wagons needed to be cleaned and coal veneered to meet the expectations of the community.

But spokesmen for the Port of Brisbane and Queensland Bulk Handling, which operates the coal terminal, were opposed to having wagon cleaning facilities there.

They said cleaning facilities posed environmental concerns. They did not respond to questions about whether they would consider veneering unloaded coal wagons.

Medical experts say even nuisance coal dust causes respiratory problems in vulnerable populations. Smaller coal particles inhaled deeply into the body are considered a significant long-term health threat depending on exposure levels.

Queensland Health does not consider exposure levels along train corridors and downwind of coal stockpiles to be dangerous to public health.

The Queensland Government says air monitoring shows coal dust pollution is within acceptable limits, although more tests are being conducted.

[ozbob]

From the South West News 9th January 2013 page 4

A nightmare of noise, dust

[petey3801]

Sorry, but if you live next to a railway line (especially one that has been there for over 100 years), you have to expect traffic levels to change (which means they will increase sometimes) depending on the current circumstances. Railways are, and always have been, 24hr a day operations. Choose to live near one, put up with it or leave.

[mufreight]

From the South West News 9th January 2013 page 4

A nightmare of noise, dust

Having lived there for the 60 years claimed they would have previously had the dust and noide from the cement works to contend with as well as steam operating the railway with its associated soot and noise. 
The dust from the cement works would have been considerably worse than the coal dust and the ongoing noise levels from the clinker ovens and crushers were worse than any train noise today.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Yawn. Bring back those coal fired monsters 

[ozbob]

Yawn. Bring back those coal fired monsters 

Second that!   

[SurfRail]

Perhaps they meant per train.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> End of an era with New Oakleigh coal mine to close

[ozbob]

From The Chronicle click here!

Rubber causes more dust clouds than coal

Rubber causes more dust clouds than coal
Chris Calcino 18th Jan 2013 9:25 PM

COUNCIL is finally ready to release an independent study into how much coal dust is being let loose along major transport routes in Toowoomba.

Appeals from angry residents whose homes were being covered by black dust triggered the study's commission in December 2010.

The results were due to be made public by June 30 last year, but yesterday the report was still unavailable.

Cr Nancy Sommerfield read the data and was surprised by the results.

Rather than high levels of coal dust, she said the main source of the ever-present dust clouds was the spent rubber of road traffic.

"The highest level of anything in the report was rubber residue off the tyres of trucks and cars - and also bitumen," she said.

"I live in the southern part of Toowoomba, a long way from any railway line or busy road, and I get the same residue.

"I think it's just part of living in a city."

Researchers set up funnel systems in four "key spots" around Toowoomba, regularly monitoring what settled in them for six months.

Cr Sommerfield said one of the devices recorded high coal dust levels, but researchers had discounted the readings.

"Someone tampered with one of (the funnels) two months in a row," she said.

"But it was very obvious - you could even see where they had been tampering.

"They put a big heap of coal in it but obviously didn't realise there were four more around the place."

The full results of the belated study are due to be released by council in the coming days.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Yeerongpilly MP Carl Judge backs petition calling for coal trains to be covered

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Stop Brisbane Coal Trains call for independent commission and physical covers for coal trains as an emergency measure

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Get tough on industry, urges coal dust lobby

[ozbob]

JOINT STATEMENT
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection
The Honourable Andrew Powell

Nod to industry on coal dust monitoring program

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson and Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell today welcomed the commitment by the Queensland Resources Council to start testing coal dust levels on the West Moreton line.

"I welcome the industry's commitment to organising an independent monitoring program to test coal dust at a number of key sites," Mr Emerson said.

"The results of the testing will provide further insight into the coal industry's environmental performance.

"Today I visited the Port of Brisbane to inspect the coal dust management process already in place as well as coal loading facilities."

The Queensland Resources Council announced the first round of comprehensive monitoring would start in the first week of March.

Testing will be conducted at dedicated sites adjacent to the coal rail corridor at Oakey, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Tennyson, Fairfield and Coorparoo.

Environment Minister Andrew Powell said this was another example of the government working with industry to address issues raised by the community.

"I welcome the proactive measures outlined by the QRC today," Mr Powell said.

"As the Environment Minister I base my policy decisions on science and any additional monitoring in this area is certainly a step in the right direction."

[ENDS] 27 February 2013

[Stillwater]

Places the fox in charge of the henhouse.  The media statement makes no mention of an audit program by the Department of the Environment.  It makes no mention of a standard to be policed, such as so many particles per cublic whatever of dust.  How does one measure coal dust as a component of general dust in the atmosphere?  Typical Queensland Government sloppiness.

[ozbob]

Queensland Resources Council
https://www.qrc.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=3223

Green light for dust monitoring program
27 February 2013

Phase one of a coal corridor action plan for the western and metropolitan rail systems running through to the Port of Brisbane has been given the green light with system users funding an independent monitoring program to measure the performance of planned coal dust management initiatives over the coming year.

Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche announced today the first round of comprehensive monitoring from the first week in March would obtain baseline information on dust and particulate levels at key sites adjacent to the rail corridor.

Monitoring will be conducted for one month at dedicated sites at Oakey, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Tennyson, Fairfield and Coorparoo, adjacent to the coal rail corridor. Simultaneous monitoring at Chelmer, which is not adjacent to the coal corridor, will provide background control measurements.

'Where possible, the monitoring is being conducted at the same locations used for a Queensland Rail coal dust monitoring study in 1999,' Mr Roche said.

'This way, comparative and trend analysis can be incorporated to better inform all stakeholders.'

An independent agency – the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Sciences Branch of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) – is conducting the monitoring.

'While all previous testing available has indicated that dust levels along the rail corridor are well within acceptable air quality limits – as shown by testing conducted at Tennyson in September-October 2012 – the Newman government has laid down a challenge to the coal industry to lift the bar with respect to environmental outcomes,' Mr Roche said.

'I am pleased to say that the challenge has been accepted readily by the South West System Users' Group that is funding the monitoring program.

'A second round of dust monitoring at the same seven sites for an additional month will allow an assessment of the impact of the introduction of veneering technology on coal transported from the New Acland mine, west of Toowoomba,' Mr Roche said.

Mine owner New Hope Group is proceeding with construction of a coal profiling and veneering station at New Acland, with full operation to start in early April immediately following completion of the first round of dust monitoring. While the New Acland mine would have been ready to commence profiling and veneering before the end of March, a short delay has been necessary because the recent wet weather has slowed the installation of air monitoring equipment.

Veneering is accepted best practice in dealing with dust emissions from loaded coal trains and involves the spraying of a biodegradable, non-toxic polymer solution to the surface of loaded coal before leaving a loading facility. The veneer forms a crust which, based on experience in central Queensland, has reduced dust emissions by up to 75 percent.

Load profiling also being implemented at New Acland ensures that the coal in the rail wagons has a uniform profile before the application of the veneer solution.

Mr Roche said that as the biggest coal exporter through the Port of Brisbane, New Hope Group (accounting for around 60 per cent of tonnes transported on the rail line) had demonstrated that coal companies and supply chain service providers are serious about addressing community concerns.

'The initiatives announced today – coupled with a sophisticated dust monitoring program already in place at the Port of Brisbane – are going to provide measureable performance indicators that industry, the state government and the community will be able to use with confidence to assess the export coal industry's environmental performance,' Mr Roche said.

'The dust monitoring results will provide detailed data that will help ensure debate in relation to an issue of community concern and sensitivity is fully informed and based on independent scientific evidence.'

Mr Roche said the planned adoption of veneering technology (in addition to their use already of uniform profiling) by all the south western coal mines by the end of 2013 was consistent with the approved timetable under which all central Queensland mines are working.

An interim report on the results of the first round of monitoring and then a complete evaluation report on both rounds of dust monitoring will be published on the DSITIA and DEHP websites.

An important second element of the monitoring program will be the establishment of a continuous particle monitoring station for 12 months to measure seasonal dust emission trends and the progress of measures to reduce coal dust emissions.

DSITIA will recommend the most suitable site for this continuous monitoring in light of the results of the first two rounds of monitoring.

Measurements recorded at the continuous monitoring station will be reported in near real-time on the DEHP website.

* South Western Users' Group comprises coal companies New Hope Group, Peabody Energy and Yancoal Australia and supply chain service providers Aurizon, Queensland Rail and Queensland Bulk Handling.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> MP says Queensland Resources Council's independent monitoring program for coal trains is a step in the right direction

[johnnigh]

Some of us might not have seen this submission from SBCT, posted on Facebook last week.
One wonders why QR and the government bends over so far to the coal miners... Oh, it's the mining royalties, is it?

Submission by Stop Brisbane Coal Trains (SBCT)
to
Senate Committee Inquiry into the Impacts of Air Quality on Health.

To the Senate Committee Members,

Stop Brisbane Coal Trains has been campaigning since mid July 2012 – raising awareness about Coal Trains travelling along the West Moreton Rail Corridor – from mines West of Toowoomba through to the Port of Brisbane. Our concerns are both Local (Air and Noise Pollution) and Global (Coal Exports and Climate Change).
These trains, which comprise 2 locomotives and 41 wagons, carry around 3 thousand tonnes of coal per train. Which equates to around 1 million tonnes of coal per month being hauled through the high population density areas of Toowoomba, Ipswich and the Queensland capital, Brisbane.
All loads are uncovered, thus allowing fugitive coal dust emissions along the entire route. These emissions comprise wind-borne fine particulates that have the potential to adversely, and severely, effect public health.
In addition to this problem posed by trains, there are also serious Air Quality issues associated with loading and storage of coal, along this corridor. That is from Pit-to-port. At present, 'Best Practice' procedure is a foreign concept. The Port of Brisbane Coal terminal and the New Acland coal pile at Jondaryan (both owned and operated by New Hope Corporation ) are testament to this Industry neglect. Dust at both these locales is, as Bob Dylan once wrote, 'Blowin' in the wind'.

This campaign has uncovered one overriding theme. That of lax - bordering on useless - Air Quality Standards.

And a Government and Industry both happy to flout them, as cover for inaction. Basically the Qld State Government and the Coal Industry (the latter under the umbrella of the Queensland Resources Council), can write their own script as far as monitoring regulations go.

'Will we or wont we monitor for PM2.5s today?'

The standards are so nebulous, we believe any monitoring – based on current standards - will come up smelling fresh as a daisy.
Indeed the Queensland Resources Council has only recently announced a new wave of this so-called 'Monitoring', along the West Moreton rail corridor. (see ref. 2). This is code for doing nothing. The QRC have a history of delay and deception to maintain the status quo. They know the monitoring is win-win.
They had previously tried to pull the wool over Brisbane via the now infamous 'Tennyson' Air monitoring test conducted last October (in the suburb of Tennyson in Brisbane) in response to community pressure. It was a 'Claytons' one site affair that was quickly debunked for what it was - brainless.
We contend there is a culture of wanton neglect in Queensland and a failure of a Duty of Care. Of profits before people. There simply should not be industrial-size trains careening through the centre of a capital city carting uncovered coal payloads, in these volumes. Period.
Air Quality standards need tightening, to be legislated and need teeth. Furthermore they need to be policed forcefully, and by Government. Not the Industry. SBCT believes that Industry self-regulation is a complete misnomer in Queensland. We have discussed this and stated our concerns (in no uncertain terms) with the State Environment Minister, Andrew Powell.
Given this history, on the part of both the Government and the Industry in this matter, SBCT has resolved to campaign for physical dust proof covers on all coal trains travelling on the West Moreton Rail line. We reckon the veneering process (polymer coating of the coal profile in wagons) is dubious and hard to police.
In summary, SBCT believes there is an urgent need to bolster National Air Standard requirements and establish Best Practice Rules and Regulations governing the entire coal Pit-to-Port process via legislation.

[johnnigh]

Dust isn't the only problem with coal trains through the suburbs, noise remains an important issue through all of them. Noise measurements by QR recently concluded neatly avoided the hot-spots, so as to give the impression that there is no problem.

Who is surprised at this behaviour by QR and the LNP?

Adequate noise barriers can be built when a major project can include it, but as for retro-fitting, that's a major maintenance issue that QR doesn't know how to cope with. The current political climate means that voters are powerless as the chance of changing the complexion of government, local or state, is zilch.

Maybe in a decade or so, when the LNP has outlived its welcome, there'll be a window of opportunity...

[HappyTrainGuy]

If people are complaining about noise next to a railway line then harden up I say. You wouldn't buy a house next to an airport and complain about the noise of planes taking off. The railway line has been there before all of us forum members were born. Although the sound of steam fired coal munching scaring childen Beyer Garratt locos sure does sound better than a couple wheels squeeking 





Ah those were the days 

[ozbob]

A long term Darra resident came and saw me a couple of years ago.  He lived near the railway line, he wanted some advice on who he should see about noise issues, not from the railway line but the Highway.  I gave what support I could.  He said he actually loved the noise of the steam engines climbing out of Darra, found the diesels not as appealing though.  But the road noise, it was doing him in.  The reason for that was that it is just constant.  Trains are intermittent and people seem to cope better with that.  Not withstanding that, there  are noise issues, barriers help but the only real solution in the end is freight lines away from the suburbs.  Until then, covers  and barriers.  The coal export market could collapse, then the frequency will drop off.

The resident moved out of Darra about 6 months after he spoke to me.

[somebody]

If people are complaining about noise next to a railway line then harden up I say. You wouldn't buy a house next to an airport and complain about the noise of planes taking off. The railway line has been there before all of us forum members were born. Although the sound of steam fired coal munching scaring childen Beyer Garratt locos sure does sound better than a couple wheels squeeking 

Umm, on what planet?  People that live near airports complain about the noise all the time.

A long term Darra resident came and saw me a couple of years ago.  He lived near the railway line, he wanted some advice on who he should see about noise issues, not from the railway line but the Highway.  I gave what support I could.  He said he actually loved the noise of the steam engines climbing out of Darra, found the diesels not as appealing though.  But the road noise, it was doing him in.  The reason for that was that it is just constant.  Trains are intermittent and people seem to cope better with that.  Not withstanding that, there  noise issues, barriers help but the only real solution in the end is freight lines away from the suburbs.  Until then, covers  and barriers.  The coal export market could collapse, then the frequency will drop off.

The resident moved out of Darra about 6 months after he spoke to me.

Having lived near a freeway, it's not really constant, every car fades in and out making it far worse than a constant drone, like of an air conditioner, which I've also lived with.

[ozbob]

He said it was constant, he was really implying it just goes on and on, particularly trucks which there are a lot of on the Ipswich Highway.

Any case, it forced him move away ..

[somebody]

He said it was constant, he was really impling it just goes on and on, particularly trucks which there are a lot of on the Ipswich Highway.

Just trying to expand on his comments.