MANAGING THE RISK OF BENEFICIAL RE-USE OF MILLING BY-PRODUCTS

THE QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL sector has been criticised for contributing to nutrient run-off resulting in the deterioration of the health of the adjacent Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Reef protection regulations, introduced by the Queensland Government in 2009 under the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, apply to the management of fertilisers, sediment and pesticides on commercial sugar cane growing and cattle grazing lands within GBR priority catchment areas. The sugar industry has implemented various initiatives to reduce environmental impacts from its operations. The Smartcane BMP (Best Management Practice) program was introduced by CANEGROWERS in 2013 in direct response to legislative reform, to assist growers with compliance while ensuring farm viability. Recycling of milling by-products (such as mill mud and ash) has provided a popular soil ameliorant and nutrient source for growers since the sugar industry commenced operations in Australia over a century ago. In 2010 the Queensland Government issued an initial approval to enable the continuation of the use of this material (otherwise deemed a regulated waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld), the EP Act). The Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC) identified the risk of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) either not renewing the beneficial use approval (BUA), or prescribing conditions that would discourage growers from using milling by-products. A reduction in the demand for milling by-products would result in significant costs to the industry and place added pressure on landfills. This paper provides a background to the policy setting and a summary of the key outcomes of the project ‘Sustaining mill mud use: improving practices and protecting the Great Barrier Reef’ funded by Sugar Research Australia (SRA) and conducted by CQG Consulting (CQG) in partnership with ASMC. The project achieved its objectives of bringing industry stakeholders together in each region to identify knowledge gaps and work with EHP to successfully deliver an extension of the BUA.