Manildra ordered to pay $170,000 after silos spill grain into Shoalhaven River
The collapse of the silos has put a third in jeopardy. (ABC Illwarra: Romy Gilbert)
In short:
About 2,000 tonnes of wheat spilled into the Shoalhaven River in 2024 after two grain silos collapsed.
The NSW environment watchdog has ordered the Manildra Group to spend $170,000 on community projects.
What's next?
Manildra will fund projects including foreshore protection and bank stabilisation as part of an enforceable undertaking.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has ordered manufacturing company Manildra Group to spend $170,000 on community projects for spilling 2,000 tonnes of grain into the Shoalhaven River.
In October 2024 two 30-metre silos, each holding 1,000 tonnes of wheat, collapsed at the Bomaderry facility, damaging a third silo and spilling product into the river and onto its banks.
The incident saw dozens of workers evacuated and a two-week multi-emergency response to stabilise the site before investigations by the EPA and SafeWork NSW commenced.
Drone footage of where two major silos at the Manildra factory on the NSW South Coast collapsed in 2024. (Supplied: NSW Fire and Rescue)
Manildra Group is a large family-owned Australian agribusiness and manufacturer which processes wheat into flour, vital wheat gluten, starch, glucose, and ethanol at more than 11 sites.
The cause of the silo collapse at its Shoalhaven Starches south coast site remains unknown and is the subject of an active investigation by Safework NSW.
A grain silo collapsed at Shoalhaven Starches in October 2024 pouring wheat into the Shoalhaven River, sparking an investigation by SafeWork NSW. (ABC Illawarra: Romy Gilbert)
Enforceable undertaking
The EPA has negotiated an enforceable undertaking for Shoalhaven Starches to fund projects that benefit the local community.
NSW EPA executive director of operations Stephen Beaman said that would ensure the company took responsibility for the incident.
"This was an incredibly serious incident, and the EPA took immediate action to protect the community and the environment,"he said.
"If the company had not taken immediate steps to contain and remove the grain from the river, the impact from the massive release of nutrients and organic matter would have been severe."
The NSW EPA says booms have been deployed to limit grain spreading down the river. (ABC Illawarra: Romy Gilbert)
The EPA said water monitoring by Shoalhaven Starches and the EPA showed no significant environmental harm to the river as a result of the silo collapse, but that "the incident warranted strong regulatory action".
Shoalhaven Starches will fund $170,000 worth of foreshore protection and bank stabilisation, rehabilitation projects, and install fish-cleaning stations.
The EPA said it had directed Shoalhaven Starches to engage an independent expert to conduct an Environmental Hazard Analysis to help prevent future pollution incidents.
The Shoalhaven Starches plant employs about 350 people. (Supplied: Manildra Group)
Community consultation
The ABC has approached Manildra Group for comment but is yet to receive a response.
The company has been ordered to keep the community informed about its operations and improvements to pollution prevention by establishing a community consultative committee (CCC).
Manildra Group said in a community newsletter published online last year that its CCC would provide "a formal forum for open, two-way dialogue between the company and the local community".
"The CCC will bring together a diverse cross-section of local residents, businesses, non-government organisations and Shoalhaven City Council representatives to discuss site operations, upcoming projects and environmental performance," the newsletter said.
The same newsletter said that construction on a new grain silo had commenced and was expected to be completed by December last year.
It said a remaining three would be finished by February, but the ABC has been unable to confirm if the work has been completed.