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Most of the contaminant found so far is concrete, steel and a small amount of bonded
asbestos, which
is contained in old concrete pipes that have been dumped on site.
What is happening with the contaminated material from the site?
Council was unable to dispose of this material locally because the volume could not be accommodated in local facilities. The nearest licensed
facility equipped to handle the volume and types of
contaminants is in south east Queensland. All loads are covered and
damped down to prevent dust and all work is being supervised by the
Environmental Protection Authority.
Our best estimate at this stage is about 30,000 cubic metres, but it is an estimate. The total quantity won't be known until there is further excavation of the site.
What is being done to prevent dust leaving the site?
After the initial findings of bonded asbestos a
polymer spray (a glue-type substance) was applied to the entire site. Also, the site is being
kept damp with ongoing
watering. All vehicles are washed before leaving the contaminated zone.
Not known until there is further excavation of the site ind the amount of contaminated material is known. It costs about $70 a tonne to dispose of the contaminated material. There will also be professional costs that are in addition to the cost of disposal.
Why didn't council know how much contaminated material was on the site?
Testing was done before the site clean up started and it showed there were contaminants on site. An additional 188 test holes were completed prior
to excavation works, but the high volume of vegetation made it
difficult to determine the volume of site material. It wasn't until excavation started that the amount of the material became apparent. It appears now that material was dumped on the site over a number of years and records were not kept of what and when it was dumped.
What is the difference between bonded and friable asbestos?
Bonded asbestos found on the site is asbestos that is 'bonded' with other material, such as cement or building products. WorkCover NSW describes friable asbestos as being material that is in a powder form or that can be crumbled,
pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry, and contains asbestos. Friable asbestos poses serious health risks.
SafeWork NSW and the Environmental Protection
Authority. An independent hygienist is on site daily. An accredited third party auditor, licensed contractors and Council's work
health and safety team also oversee the work to ensure the safety of the
community.
Can an air monitoring device be installed at my residence?
External air monitoring devices cannot be installed in
private residences or public areas. This is because the air monitors are
affected by activities that are adjacent to the site such as lawn mowing and
other dust causing activities.
Further detailed soil testing has not been undertaken as the materials are to be removed in situ from the site and will not be further screened or grossly disturbed. The excavation works are being inspected and closely monitored by an independent hygienist, an Environmental Protection Authority accredited site auditor as well as EPA NSW and Safework NSW. Additionally, air monitoring is being undertaken across the site.
A map showing the location of all testing that has taken place across the site is shown here testing history
