Major salt production proposal on Exmouth Gulf has less environmental impact than protesters’ claims: K+S

The company responsible for a major salt production proposal has hit back at an advertising campaign calling for an end to industrialisation on the Exmouth Gulf, claiming potential impacts are smaller than what is being promoted. International industrial corporation K+S says the potential impacts from the proposed salt works at Exmouth Gulf were “significantly smaller” than what is being claimed by Protect Ningaloo. The campaign recently launched billboards opposing the development in the German city of Kassel where K+S is headquartered. K+S plans to build a major salt production facility on the eastern side of Exmouth Gulf, producing 4.7 million tonnes of salt per year. Managing director Gerrit Goedecke said the project was backed by the traditional owners of the land and had support from the Onslow community. He said the company had spent six years and more than $10 million researching and modelling the environment and ecosystems around the site, and changed the project to improve impacts on water and nutrient flow to the gulf, and the impacts on local creeks. “Based on the findings, we have already modified the original project, including configuring the evaporation ponds to enable existing water and nutrient flow, cutting permits to sensitive wetlands in the south which contain large areas of mangroves and algal mats, and scrapping plans for additional water intake locations,” Mr Goedecke said. In addition to complying with Environmental Protection Authority processes, Mr Goedecke said K+S had reached out to Protect Ningaloo twice to organise meetings with their scientists and brief them on their research. “We commend Protect Ningaloo for shining a light on the Exmouth Gulf and the need to protect it,” he said. “Protect Ningaloo has declined our first offer and didn’t respond to the second. Our door is always open if they want to discuss the project and their concerns directly.” The Protect Ningaloo advertisement reads: “Dear K+S, Greetings from the unique Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo. Please stop your plans for a massive saltworks here before you damage this special place forever.” It aims to persuade K+S to reconsider the project. Campaign director Paul Gamblin said the Ningaloo region was loved across the globe and there were many concerns about industrialisation in the area. For more information on the project, visit www.strongerwithsalt.com.au/environment.