Overview
- Panel lead Professor Stuart Khan said fats, oils and grease left after primary treatment most likely congealed into round balls within Malabar’s four‑kilometre deep ocean outfall.
- Independent composition testing found hydrocarbons consistent with heavy industry in Malabar’s catchment, pointing away from primarily residential plants like Bondi and North Head.
- The EPA required Sydney Water studies, consultant reports, lab analyses and coastal transport modelling, which together supported identifying Malabar as the likely source.
- Hydrodynamic modelling judged it highly unlikely that overflows such as Mill Pond could have delivered material to Coogee Beach, where debris first appeared.
- NSW officials outlined upstream grease‑reduction programs and staged upgrades, including works at Malabar and Georges River by 2029, Bondi by 2028 and a new Camellia facility by 2031, while noting Malabar’s site constraints limit rapid treatment upgrades.