• May 25, 2023
• By JEP Team
• Articles, News

Lawsan Property Holdings Pty Ltd is proposing to establish a 150,000 tonne per annum drill mud and oily water recycling facility within the Somersby Industrial Park. The development involves the installation of industry best practice recycling equipment within an existing industrial property to recycle drill mud and oily water, enabling beneficial reuse of the recovered soil aggregates and refining of waste oil.

Drill mud refers to the liquid additives used to assist in the drilling of boreholes, and the slurry generated during hydro excavation activities. Drill mud typically consists of naturally occurring rock and soil, organic matter, water, and additives such as bentonite clay. Recycling of drill mud produces soil aggregates of differing sizes and clean water that is discharged to the sewer system after testing confirms it is of suitable quality.

Oily water consists of wastewater contaminated by oils or grease. Oily water is typically generated in stormwater runoff from service station forecourts, automotive workshops, and vehicle wash bays. Oily water recycling produces waste oil that can be refined into new, commercial-grade oils, and clean water that is discharged to the sewer system after testing confirms it is of suitable quality.

The proposal involves the installation of specialist liquid waste recycling equipment within an industrial shed. Large-volume liquid storage tanks will also be included in the installation to securely contain incoming waste material, and hold recovered clean water for quality testing prior to discharge.

The development is to be located within an existing industrial site in the Somersby Industrial Park. The Somersby Industrial Park includes land designated for employment and industrial development opportunities that also balance the unique and sensitive environmental and Aboriginal heritage values of the area. To ensure the facility does not negatively impact the surrounding environment, the following design elements will be included:

• All waste handling, processing, and storage will occur wholly within an enclosed, bunded industrial shed to prevent the release of spills into the surrounding environment;
• Landscaping for the property will reflect the local native plant community;
• A rainwater harvesting system will provide water for landscaping irrigation, toilet flushing, and other on-site processes; and
• All stormwater runoff from the outdoor hardstand and carpark will be directed through a bioretention basin and gross pollutant trap to reduce sediment and pollution in runoff.

The project will provide a service not currently available within the Central Coast region. Due to the volume of liquid waste to be processed, the development is designated as state significant and will require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Neighbour and community feedback is being sought on the proposal. More information can be found in:

• Fact Sheet
• Scoping Report
• A community information session was held on 24th August 2023. A recording of the session is available: Webinar recording.

You can provide your feedback on the proposed development by contacting Jackson Environment and Planning Pty Ltd via email or phone:

• E: admin@jacksonenvironment.com.au
• T: 02 8056 1849

We greatly appreciate your feedback on this project which will benefit both the environment and the local economy.