Halifax Bay marine monitoring programme h : QNI, Yabulu

Since 1973, the QNI Pty. Ltd. Yabulu Refinery has utilised an ocean outfall pipeline extending approximately 1.8 km into Halifax Bay to discharge excess wastewater stored in the operational tailing facility. Regular monitoring of physical, chemical and biological characteristics in Halifax Bay commenced in 1974, following baseline studies in 1972-1973. The monitoring programme was designed to provide a data set for water quality, sediment quality and benthic faunal communities, against which potential influences of the ocean discharge activity could be assessed once the discharge stopped The refinery has established a shared objective with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to achieve zero tailings water discharge in the future.