Boyer Mill

The Boyer Mill utilises approximately 85,000 tonnes (84,000 long tons; 94,000 short tons) of black coal per annum to fuel its coal-fired boiler.[11] Norske Skog sourced coal from Cornwall Coal's Cullenswood mine in the Fingal Valley until 2023, when its useable resources were depleted.[11][12] In March 2023, Norske Skog began sourcing coal from interstate, supplied by Yancoal from sites in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.[11]

Bis Industries constructed a state-of-the-art plantation softwood chipping facility at the mill, worth $22.5 million in 1985. The facility is owned, operated, and maintained by Bis and is used by Norske Skog. It consolidated the previous chipping operations into a single efficient operation.[13]

In 2013, Norske Skog invested $84 million to convert one of the mill's paper machines for lightweight coated paper production. The Federal Government granted $28 million, and the State Government offered a $13 million loan for the investment.[4]

Both the federal Labor and Liberal parties pledged $2 million for upgrades at the Norske Skog paper mill in 2022. The State Government has also committed $2 million, while the papermaker itself has contributed $2.9 million.[14][15]

In 2023, Norske Skog initiated a feasibility study to replace its ageing coal-fired boiler at the Boyer Mill with electrode boilers. The company is in discussions with Hydro Tasmania and the State Government to explore the possibility of near doubling their power consumption through the delivery of a further 50 megawatts (67,000 hp) to the Boyer Mill per annum.[16]

Product was shipped down the River Derwent to Hobart by barge from 1941 until 1986.[17]

The Boyer Mill is a significant customer of Tasmanian rail and road networks, as well as Bass Strait shipping. Annually, the mill transports more than 1,000,000 tonnes (980,000 long tons; 1,100,000 short tons) of finished products and raw materials through these transportation systems.[3]

The Boyer Mill's coal-fired boiler emits various air pollutants in the form of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Released during combustion, particulate matter consists of fine particles and gases including resin acid, sulfur compounds and nitrogen oxides. VOCs, released during various stages of paper production, are associated with smog, acid rain, greenhouse gases and air quality degradation.[21][22][23]

One of the primary concerns is the discharge of effluent into the nearby River Derwent. The mill releases wastewater in the form of sludge and wood residues that contain various pollutants, including organic matter, suspended solids, and chemical substances such as lignin used in the paper-making process.[24] These chemicals deplete oxygen levels in the water, harming aquatic organisms and disrupting ecosystems. Pulp bleaching processes involving chlorine compounds generate toxic chlorinated organic compounds, which further contributed to water pollution. In recent years, the mill has made substantial progress in water conservation, achieving a reduction of over 60% in water usage since 1985.[3]

Bridgewater Bridge and causeway in 2008

Downstream, the convict-built, 1830s causeway connecting Granton and Bridgewater via the Bridgewater Bridge acts as a catchment for sludge and wastewater pollutants. Further to this downstream at Lutana, the zinc refinery Nyrstar Hobart has contributed to significant pollution to the estuary waters. The smelter's discharging of methylmercury (mercury) and other toxic heavy metals into the Derwent estuary greatly contributed in creating one of the most polluted river systems in the world by the close of the 1970s.[25] Studies in 2009, 2012 and 2020 have concluded that heavy metal contaminants, including cadmium, lead, zinc and mercury, risk being disturbed by the New Bridgewater Bridge construction project.[26]

Historically, Tasmania has faced significant deforestation and forest degradation due to various industries, including logging for timber and paper production. The expansion of the paper industry, including the establishment of the Boyer paper mill, greatly contributed to the demand for raw materials, such as pulpwood from native forests.

ANM evaluated the development of a logging headquarters near Maydena in 1949,[27] and it was established in 1950, featuring a railway marshalling yard, log storage, loading facilities, offices, a store, oil depot, and a workshop for vehicle maintenance. 32 workers cottages were built nearby to facilitate the loggers.[28] By the mid-1950s, the Boyer Mill was utilising over 120,000,000 board feet (280,000 m³) of sawn timber wood fibre per annum.[29] The Boyer mill primarily sought raw materials from its Maydena depot, until its closure in the late 1980s.[30]

In 2020, Norske Skog sold its remaining Tasmanian forest assets to the investment manager firm New Forests Pty Ltd for $62.5m. The sale encompassed plantations that traditionally accounted for approximately two-thirds of Boyer's annual consumption of pulpwood, totalling around 550,000 tonnes (540,000 long tons; 610,000 short tons). Following the completion of the transaction, Boyer entered into a long-term agreement with the buyer, guaranteeing an annual supply of 360,000 tonnes (350,000 long tons; 400,000 short tons) of pulpwood.[31]

Pollution from pulp and paper mills can pose health risks to nearby communities. Exposure to air pollutants, including particulate matter and VOCs, can lead to respiratory issues, cardiovascular problems, and other health complications. Contaminated water sources can also pose risks to human health, affecting both drinking water supplies and the safety of fish and other seafood consumed by local communities. Historically, issues surrounding health were raised by workers at the Boyer Mill and members of the community alike.[32][33] Norske Skog Boyer established a Health and Safety Employees Fund in the early 2000s when individual employee funds were amalgamated into a unified and cohesive mill fund.[34]