Timber giant Gunns has said it wants the Federal Government to impose tougher environmental standards on its proposed pulp mill.
The plan includes processing only plantation timber and reducing chlorine emissions using a scientifically advanced bleaching process to process the 64,000 tonnes of effluent the mill is expected to discharge each day.
Gunns also wants to establish an independent community reference group, which the timber giant would fund but which would operate as an independent entity with access to company data.
Managing director Greg L’Estrange said Gunns was open to suggestions about the membership.
Mr L’Estrange has presided over a shift in Gunns’ operations out of native forests towards a plantations-only business.
He said yesterday that progress was also being made in finding a joint venture partner for the project.
“If you look at all of the engagements and permit conditions, they are all contributing towards the end resolutions,” he said, adding that the company was making progress on those fronts.
But after seven years of planning, the mill remains on the drawing board mired in bitter and ongoing protest from green groups.
A major reason for the delay is that Gunns needs to recruit a joint venture partner with the ability to come up with a major part of the $2.3 billion that’s needed to kick-start the venture.
Last week Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke deferred granting an environmental permit until later this week pending a decision on Gunns’ new environmental standards. Gunns shares finished 15c higher at 61.5c.
