Green Games Watch 2000 Media
Release
Olympic Catchment: Pollution and Social ProfileDate: 28
July 2000
The Olympic catchment is currently a polluted, socially disadvantaged and
unhealthy area. It is undergoing rapid residential redevelopment and will
be subject to international scrutiny in 2000 because of the Olympic Games.
A range of ad hoc state and local government initiatives are underway, but
there are gaps in how environmental and social concerns are being
addressed. The Premier's Department should coordinate a NSW Government
response to redevelopment of the Olympic catchment which improves
environmental and social outcomes in the area for 2000 and beyond.
A number of key indicators follow.
Pollution Sources Numerous
- There are 38 premises in Auburn licensed for air, water, or air and
water pollution discharges. This compares to 9 premises in Concord and 9
in Strathfield.
- Local groups are particularly concerned about 4 sources of air
pollution: the oil refinery, liquid waste plant at Lidcombe, the brewery
at Lidcombe, and clinical waste incinerator at Silverwater.
- Air toxics monitoring by the NSW EPA show Lidcombe with the highest
mean concentrations of chloromethane and dichloromethane in Sydney. The
air toxics pilot study shows the Olympic catchment has at least 2
sources of dioxin emissions: the Lidcombe liquid waste plant and the
clinical waste incinerator at Silverwater.
- The NSW EPA has indicated that action on air toxics may be needed at
oil refineries, electroplating works, foundries, dry cleaners and
service stations. The Olympic area has 1 oil refinery, 2 foundries, 4
listed electroplating works, around 7 dry cleaners and approximately 40
service stations.
- There are at least 13 (possibly 19) contaminated sites in Auburn,
and an additional 11 in Concord. This compares to 3 contaminated sites
in Strathfield.
- Stormwater is the major source of nutrient pollution in Homebush
Bay. A stormwater management plan has been prepared for Haslarns Creek,
but it has never been implemented.
- Sewerage overflows are recognised as an important cause of water
pollution in the Olympic catchment. In addition to faecal matter, sewers
in the Olympic catchment contain contaminated discharges from 571
premises which have trade waste agreements with Sydney Water.
- There are 346 premises in Auburn licensed to store hazardous
chemicals. This compares to some 88 in Strathfield. Around 85 hazardous
chemical spills and incidents take place in Auburn each year.
Socio-Economic Status Low
- The median personal income for Auburn residents is over $100 per
week less than for other Sydney residents.
- The unemployment rate in Auburn is nearly twice the rate for NSW as
a whole.
- Nearly half of Auburn residents were overseas born compared to less
than a quarter for Sydney.
- A higher proportion of Auburn residents than Sydney residents failed
to receive a full highschool education.
Mortality and Health Worse Than Sydney
- The death rate in the Olympic catchment is higher than Sydney's for
cancer, circulatory disease, respiratory disease, digestive disease,
accidents, and endocrine, metabolic and immunity disorders. The death
rate for mental disorders is lower.
- The death rate from cancer is 8.5% higher, from cardiovascular
disease is 17.5% higher and from respiratory disease is 25% higher than
Sydney's.
- The Olympic catchment has a higher rate than Sydney of diabetes,
high cholesterol, hypertension, heart disease, asthma, sinusitis,
hayfever, ulcers, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and arthritis. It has a
lower rate of mental disorders, cold and flu, and ill-defined
conditions.
- The rate of endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders is 34%
higher and the rate of cardiovascular disease is 27% higher in the
Olympic catchment than in Sydney.
- Birth defect rates are higher in the Olympic catchment than Sydney.
The differences generally are not statistically significant, but
strictly speaking the higher birth defect rate for Strathfield is
significant. NSW Health has advised that the latter is worth keeping an
eye on.
- Residents of the Olympic catchment have a rate of complications of
surgical and medical care which is 3 times higher than Sydney's.
- On a self-assessed basis, residents of the Olympic catchment are in
poorer health than Sydney residents.
Urban Redevelopment in a Polluted Catchment
- An additional 20 000 people will be moving to the Auburn local
government area alone. This represents a 40% increase in the population
of Auburn.
- The Newington Olympic village will add 2000 dwellings to existing
housing stock in the Olympic catchment. They will be sold over 8 years
until 2005 and add 5000 people to the area.
- The Liberty Grove development close to Bicentennial Park comprises
781 town houses and units. It is approximately one third completed and
dwellings will continue to be sold after 2000.
- Mariners Cove on Homebush Bay near Haslarns Creek will add 224
apartments to the area. Units are currently being sold off the plan.
- Millennium Waters on the Payce land at Homebush Bay is an 1880
apartment development planned to be 6 -18 storeys. 2355 car spaces are
proposed for the development.
- Another development is currently planned for the Payce land
comprising an additional 1300 housing units.
- The Lidcombe Hospital site is being redeveloped for residential
uses. An additional 120 permanent dwellings will be built before 2000.
- The Rhodes Peninsula, adjacent to Homebush Bay will be redeveloped.
Current plans show a mix of low and higher density residential
development with 85% of the 43 hectare site available for commercial and
residential uses.
- The Department of Defence is redeveloping its land south of Kirkham
Rd at Regents Park for residential and industrial uses, and it is
anticipated that the Carter St industrial area near the Olympic site
will be developed for high density residential uses.
- Hotel development at Homebush Bay will add more people to the
Olympic catchment. The Homebush Bay Hotel on the Payce land is planned
as a 265 room resort hotel. The hotel on the Olympic site will have 318
rooms and will rise between 8 and 20 storeys.
- None of the three (3) local councils with jurisdiction over these
sites has an affordable housing policy.
Action Required to Reflect a Green Games
A coordinated State government response to redevelopment of the Olympic
catchment is required which includes:
- regional pollution reduction program by the EPA involving audits of
scheduled premises and sites of community concern in the Olympic
catchment to improve air and water pollution management and monitoring;
- EPA program of technical and other assistance to local councils to
implement a pollution reduction program for non-scheduled premises and
diffuse pollution sources;
- search of records and historical land uses by EPA and Olympic
councils to prepare a comprehensive record of potentially contaminated
sites in the catchment;
- joint preparation of annual catchment state of the environment
reports by local councils and the Olympic Co-ordination Authority.,
- regional environmental plan which ensures best practice contaminated
site clean-up, community participation and environmental initiatives
into all new developments in the Olympic catchment;
- review of social and health service requirements for the rapidly
developing Olympic catchment;
- prioritise the local government areas of Auburn, Strathfield and
Concord for the development of affordable housing targets and the
development of social and community service infrastructure;
- monitor rent increases and facilitate affordable long term
residential leases in the Auburn LGA;
- develop an employment and vocational training plan targeting the
unemployed in the three (3) LGAs, with a special emphasis on the
long-term unemployed and migrants in Auburn LGA;
- Government funding for an independent local community group to
oversee environmental clean-up and social assistance in the Olympic
catchment.
For further information
NCCNSW Classification: Ecologically Sustainable Development
Green Games Watch 2000 Classification: Social Impacts
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