George Town Seafoods will double production at its processing facility after the Environment Protection Agency sanctioned a proposal to increase annual production from 5000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes a year.
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The company received the go-ahead from the EPA late last month, after the agency concluded the increase could take place in a environmentally responsible manner.
George Town Seafoods will be free to increase production as soon as it receives a council permit, which is expected to go through this week.
EPA director Wes Ford said the board considered a number of environmental factors in its assessment, including odour emissions from all stages of processing and the management of liquid effluent.
“Conditions imposed require the liquid effluent to be managed through disposal to sewer under a trade waste agreement with TasWater, and in accordance with the Biosecurity Management Plan which requires appropriate treatment and disinfection of any wastewater prior to disposal," Mr Ford said.
The production increase will also be subject to noise pollution requirements.
“Noise emissions will be managed through standard noise conditions, restricting the hours of operation and setting noise emissions limits for particular times of the day to ensure that surrounding sensitive users are protected during early morning operations," Mr Ford said.
“The proponent will also be required to maintain a ‘complaints register’ which must include any odour and noise complaints received by the proponent."
George Town mayor Bridget Archer praised the proposed expansion, saying any development which created jobs in George Town was great for the region.
"It's been in the pipeline for a while and it's just a matter of ticking off those stages, so I look forward to the development being able to get underway," Cr Archer said.
"A permit will be issued in the next couple of weeks - it'll probably be in the next week or so - subject to council and EPA permission."
George Town Seafoods currently employs 70 staff in peak production period, which is typically in the summer and autumn months.