Production increase approved for Alcoa's Wagerup refinery

Alcoa has been given the go ahead for a planned production increase at its Wagerup alumina refinery in Western Australia, despite the health fears of local residents.

Nine appeals were lodged against the upgrade of the plant, with residents in the nearby towns of Yarloop and Waroona saying odour and dust emissions from the refinery were a major health worry.

But WA environment minister Albert Jacob has dismissed the appeals saying the company had put in place "significant measures'' to emissions would not increase.

"Alcoa will also be required to publish the results of its odour and air monitoring on its website to give the community access to the information,'' Mr Jacob said.

Mr Jacob said he had also dismissed appeals against the reissuing of a licence for Alcoa's cogeneration power plant on the same site as the refinery.

Appellants had demanded a 10km buffer zone around the refinery, and requested compensation. But Mr Jacob said he was happy the company had taken sufficient steps to ease resident's concerns.

"It was his strong expectation that the operation of the Refinery should not adversely impact on the amenity of the surrounding area, especially residential areas,'' the report into the appeal stated.

Residents who live near the refinery south of Perth have long claimed they battle long-term health problems such as cancer and organ failure due to dust emissions from the plant.

And in 2010, Alcoa was fined $45,000 for failing to ensure visible dust from its bauxite refining process did not escape the facility.