Orica Cuts Emissions by 95% at Kooragang Island

Orica has completed a major environmental improvement project at its Kooragang Island site, which has reportedly reduced ammonium nitrate particulate emissions by approximately 95%. The company achieved this reduction by installing an irrigated fibre-bed scrubber in the prill tower, which captures fine particles produced during manufacturing. Emissions collected through this process are then recirculated into production, contributing to products used across Australian resource and medical sectors.

Orica states that the multi-year project involved significant engineering challenges, with the construction phase alone taking more than 18 months and creating about 50 additional jobs on-site. The project is part of a series of upgrades at Kooragang Island aimed at enhancing environmental performance, including abatement technology installations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half, the switch to recycled water saving billions of litres annually, and improvements in ammonia management.

“We understand and share the community’s desire for better air quality in general, and we are proud to play a role in achieving this. From start to finish, we have worked closely with the NSW Environment Protection Authority to ensure the project meets regulatory expectations and delivers optimal outcomes for the community and the environment.” said Germán Morales Orica’s President of Australia Pacific and Sustainability.

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