Hydro Kurri Kurri has rubbished claims made by Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon that the company plans to dispose of toxic waste in a disused underground mine.
Joel Fitzgibbon told the Federal Chamber at Parliament House this afternoon that Norsk-Hydro was in the process of applying to the New South Wales Government to dump toxic spent potline from its former plant at Kurri in a local mine. Mr Fitzgibbon didn’t name the mine because he said he didn’t have the full details at the time.
The ageing smelter closed 18 months ago with the loss of more than 500 jobs.
Hydro this afternoon put out a statement saying it had “no such plans and would not entertain any such plan.”
The company says it’s working closely with the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority and has been preparing remediation plans for the site.
Hydro has plans for a mix of businesses, homes and parkland on the site.
