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Hansons Quarry replies
Glasshouse Quarry say it's business as usual
There have been a number of letters appearing in GC&M News recently from local residents raising concerns about speculation regarding the operation and future of Hanson Glasshouse Quarry.
Glasshouse Quarry manager Chris Wilson has confirmed that no application to expand or change the quarry will be lodged in the near future.
“However, like every business, Glasshouse Quarry needs to continually assess its future and respond to demand from our customers, which remains high as the Sunshine Coast continues to grow,” Chris said.
Concerns have also been raised by residents living close by in relation to a blast in August this year, which they reported as feeling different.
“The blast engineer answered the residents’ questions about compliance, the science and the blasting process. It was explained that this blast was in fact not bigger or different – it was just at a higher level within the quarry," Chris said.
“Blasting is carried out around once a month to break rock from the quarry face, which is then crushed into smaller aggregates and sorted by size.
“All blasts are monitored and the quarry has a long track record of compliance. No explosives are kept at the quarry."
Another issue raised by some in the community relates to the roads used by trucks carting material from the quarry to various customer sites.
“Hanson pays Sunshine Coast Council a road maintenance levy for every tonne of rock that leaves the quarry and has asked the council to consider investing some of the accumulated levy funds towards improvements to the intersection of Old Gympie and Coonowrin roads, an area of particular concern to locals,” Chris said.
The quarry, on Mt Beerwah Road, opened in 1976 and has been owned and operated by Hanson since 2003. It is identified as a key resource area (KRA48) and protected by Queensland Government legislation.
Over 70% of the materials produced at Glasshouse Quarry are used locally on the Sunshine Coast to produce concrete and for infrastructure works including schools, hospitals, seawalls and road pavements.
Chris said Hanson continued to engage with and welcome the community to come and view the operation for themselves. Last year nearly 400 people visited the Glasshouse Quarry open day and a number of quarry tours have been provided for local schools.
