A shocking revelation has emerged from an independent review of the Inpex Ichthys LNG project, highlighting a long-standing issue that could have serious implications. The review found that toxic emissions were consistently and significantly underestimated, raising concerns about public health and environmental reporting.
The report, commissioned by the NT Environment Protection Authority, revealed a series of failures in Inpex's emissions calculations and reporting. It detailed missing documentation, fundamental errors in calculations, and a complete lack of reporting for certain sources of pollution. This has led to a compromised understanding of the environmental impact and potential health risks associated with the project.
But here's where it gets controversial: Inpex has faced separate investigations by both the territory and federal governments after admitting to drastically under-reporting toxic emissions from its Darwin Harbour LNG plant in 2023-24. The company originally reported a mere four tonnes of benzene, a known carcinogen, but later revised this figure to over 500 tonnes, an increase of over 13,000%. Other volatile organic compounds linked to health risks were also significantly revised upwards.
In a statement, Inpex's senior vice president, Bill Townsend, claimed that the company had not intentionally misreported, and took full accountability for the unintentional errors. However, the report's findings suggest otherwise, with 'systematic errors' identified in Inpex's reporting systems and data quality.
The report states, "The systematic underestimation of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions... represents a significant compliance and environmental reporting issue." It further highlights the non-reporting of hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde and ammonia to the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) in 2024, despite meeting reporting thresholds.
And this is the part most people miss: the report suggests that these underestimations have been occurring since the start of production in 2018, not just in the 2023-24 period under investigation. It calls for historical submissions to be corrected, indicating a long-term pattern of inaccurate reporting.
Despite these findings, Inpex maintains that its air emissions modelling is technically sound and compliant with guidelines. However, the report questions the independence of Inpex's own emissions data, suggesting that the current estimation method is inadequate for accurate public reporting.
A separate independent review focused on human health risks also found that the risk of harm from exposure to benzene and toluene was low. However, this assessment was limited to a single area of the facility, and the report recommended a more comprehensive review to gain a complete understanding of potential exposures.
The NT EPA acknowledges that Inpex's documentation and quality checks were inadequate, but maintains that the risk to human health remains very low. The authority has endorsed the review's recommendations, including a second human health risk assessment and a facility-wide air quality assessment.
John Zorbas, the Australian Medical Association's NT president, supports the need for independent air monitoring to ensure public safety and prevent under-reporting. Kirsty Howey, director of the Environment Centre NT, calls for a public inquiry into Inpex's operations, questioning the NT EPA's assertion of low health risks.
The ongoing investigation into potential breaches of environmental laws at Inpex continues, with public trust in the company and regulatory bodies hanging in the balance.
