Leaks 'unacceptable'

Orica confirmed a discharge of 1.2 megalitres of effluent containing arsenic into the Hunter River at Newcastle. This was described as a second incident following an earlier toxic leak from the same plant.

The Newcastle discharge contained arsenic. The earlier incident at the same manufacturing plant involved a leak of toxic hexavalent chromium.

The effluent containing arsenic was discharged into the Hunter River at Newcastle. The incidents came from Orica's manufacturing plant on Kooragang Island.

Orica confirmed the discharge of 1.2 megalitres of effluent into the Hunter River.

The state government said it will examine whether 'systemic failure' led to the second Orica leak. Premier Barry O'Farrell renewed support for Environment Minister Robyn Parker and said government officials would meet Orica’s management 'immediately.'

Premier Barry O'Farrell called the situation 'unacceptable,' saying two incidents in a fortnight suggest systemic failure and that he had 'a gutful' of families being distressed by potential threats to their safety and local environment.

The article uses 'systemic failure' to describe the possibility that underlying processes or controls at Orica may have broken down after two incidents within a fortnight. The government will investigate whether such a failure contributed to the second leak.

According to the article, government officials will meet Orica’s management immediately and ministers have publicly defended their handling of the affair, indicating heightened government scrutiny of the company and the incidents.