April 2023 update
The EPA is continuing to closely monitor AJ Bush and Sons (Bush’s Proteins) while the company undertakes a range of mitigation actions required by the EPA to reduce the odour impacts on the surrounding community. AJ Bush and Sons is aware that the community is being impacted by these odours and that they are responsible for mitigating these odour impacts.
We met with AJ Bush and Sons in March 2023 to discuss our concerns relating to odour and to observe activities at the premises. Our investigations into the current odour events suggested that the odours being experienced now are likely to be different from the odours that were targeted by the EPA in the clean-up notice issued last year.
AJ Bush and Sons are undertaking Stage 2 of planned works relating to the management and odour mitigation of wastewater treatment ponds at the premises. Sampling works are currently being undertaken and are expected to be completed by the end of May 2023.
Additionally, AJ Bush and Sons has committed to installing a new odour capture system at the premises as part of their odour management actions. It is anticipated that installation of new ducting at the premises will be completed by June 2023. We are also reviewing new information as submitted by AJ Bush and Sons in relation to the ongoing works at their premises.
When complete, these works are expected to reduce odours in the surrounding communities.
In relation to further urban development in the area, more information relating to the Riverstone East (Stage 3) planning and development can be found on the NSW Department of Planning webpage. Any concerns related to this stage of development should be directed to the Department of Planning Customer Support Team on 1300 420 596 or by email to information@planning.nsw.gov.au.
Ongoing investigations
We understand that members of the community surrounding the AJ Bush and Sons premises have been experiencing odour impacts. We appreciate that the impacts of these odours can be unpleasant and can have a marked effect on quality of life. We continue to investigate these odour events and may consider further regulatory action as an outcome to these investigations.
AJ Bush and Sons’ Environment Protection Licence and related notices can be found on the EPA’s Public Register.
Effluent Irrigation Management Plan
AJ Bush and Sons’ Environment Protection Licence required them to prepare an Effluent Irrigation Management Plan (EIMP) to identify improvements to be made to irrigation activities at the premises.
In March 2023 we varied the licence to require AJ Bush and Sons to implement recommendations provided within the Management Plan. The finalised variation is available on the EPA’s Public Register.
As part of this variation, AJ Bush and Sons is required to submit an updated EIMP to the EPA for review and comment by February 2024.
Odour Management Action Plan
In 2021, AJ Bush and Sons engaged odour experts to identify odorous activities, assess performance of odour controls and provide recommendations to reduce odour from the premises. We subsequently required AJ Bush and Sons to develop an Odour Management Action Plan outlining how these recommendations would be implemented.
We reviewed the Action Plan and varied the licence to require these actions to be implemented at the premises by AJ Bush and Sons. A report on the effectiveness of these actions was submitted to the EPA by AJ Bush and Sons in February 2023.
We are reviewing the report submitted by AJ Bush and Sons, and the effectiveness of the actions undertaken to mitigate odour. We may vary AJ Bush and Sons’ licence to require further action depending on the outcomes of our review.
AJ Bush and Sons has committed to installing a new odour capture system at the premises as part of their long-term odour management actions.
December 2022 clean-up notice
In November 2022, the EPA responded to community reports about odours and the operation of the AJ Bush and Sons meat rendering facility at Riverstone. EPA officers attended the AJ Bush and Sons premises and identified the wastewater ponds as the predominant source of the odour.
On 19 December 2022, we issued AJ Bush and Sons with a clean-up notice which required them to take immediate actions to reduce the impact the odour has been having on the community. The issued notice can be found on the EPA’s Public Register. This clean-up notice required immediate actions to address the odours, in addition to longer term actions required by their environment protection licence.
We inspected the AJ Bush and Sons premises in January 2023 and confirmed that the immediate actions required under the clean-up notice had been implemented and odours generated from the ponds at the premises had decreased.
AJ Bush and Sons will soon be undertaking Stage 2 of planned works relating to the long-term management and odour mitigation of the wastewater treatment ponds at the premises.
Operating hours
The AJ Bush and Sons Environment Protection Licence (EPL No. 1100) does not impose operating hour restrictions, permitting this premises to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, the actual operating hours of the premises are demand driven.
Enquiries regarding planned operating times of the AJ Bush and Sons premises should be directed to AJ Bush and Sons.
Reporting odour
Reports from the community play an important role in investigating odour and air-pollution incidents and we appreciate how unpleasant the impacts can be.
We encourage you to take any opportunity to provide feedback directly to AJ Bush and Sons, as your input plays an important role in ensuring the right environmental outcomes are achieved for the community. AJ Bush and Sons are also best placed to answer queries relating to odour mitigating activities and the impacts of any odour from their premises. Frequently asked questions related to odour and AJ Bush and Sons activity can be found on their FAQ webpage.
AJ Bush and Sons can be contacted by phone on (02) 8080 4347 24/7, via email at community@bushsproteins.com.au, and through the website bushsproteins.com.au. Reports through these channels can be made anonymously, and all reports are handled by a third-party consultant and not AJ Bush and Sons directly.
You may continue to report new information and odour events to the EPA via Environment Line 131 555 or info@epa.nsw.gov.au.
All reports made to the Environment Line are important to us. We may not respond directly to reports made to the Environment Line unless we require further information. We will keep this webpage updated on our actions. Community members who have contacted us will be notified when updates are available.