Agendas |Minutes 

DRAFT
COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP
EIS FOR REMEDIATION OF THE ALLIED FEEDS SITE
MEETING 2 NOTES

Location: Rhodes Community Centre, Blaxland Road, Rhodes.
Date: 24 January 2002
Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00pm
Attendees: 
Committee Members 
Dietrich Willing Friends of the Earth
Louise Hayes Meadowbank and West Ryde Progress Association
Craig Redfern Ryde City Council
John Pym Independent Technical Reference Person
Jenny Nicholls Rhodes Community Group
Kate Hughes Independent Technical Reference Person
John Kent Independent Chairman
Carol Kendall Rhodes Residents' Group
Lauire Gordon Auburn Greenspace
Observers
Franco Fuccenecco Meriton Apartments
Sally Lewis Meriton Apartments
Project Team
David Snashall ERM
Ruth Kelly ERM
Genevieve Kelly ERM
Bengt von Schwerin Earth Tech Engineering

Apologies: 
Committee Members
Nicole Campbell Sydney Olympic Park Authority
Paul Hanly Rhodes Peninsula Group
Nigel Routh Concord West Public School P&A Association
Don White Nature Conservation Council
John Toohey Meadowbank and West Ryde Progress Association
Sundar Mahtani King Street Areas residents
Andrew Komli Liberty Grove
Paula Majstorovic Rhodes Resident
John Pike Rhodes Peninsula Group
Carmel del Duca Mayor of Canada Bay

1.1 INTRODUCTION
The meeting began with an introduction from the Independent Chairman, John Kent who noted the site walkover was postponed due to bad weather. A site walkover is planned for the beginning of the next CLG meeting to be held on Thursday, 7 March 2002. 
The Notes from the first CLG meeting (held 13 December 2001) were confirmed with no amendments. 

1.2 THE REMEDIATION PROGRAM 
The development application for the remediation works at the site will be lodged at the beginning of April 2002, together with the EIS. There will be an exhibition period in May for the EIS, during which the community will be able to make submissions. 
Further testing of the site has been undertaken to determine the handling characteristics of the materials, the nature of the fill, how to move materials around the site and the extent of contamination on site. Fifty-two test pits have been dug around the site, ten of which are located in the deep fill/ reclamation area of the site, and the remaining 42 pits are located within the shallow fill portion of the site. 
1.2.1 Shallow Fill Area
The Shallow Fill Area is defined as the area of land in the east of the site, with an average fill depth of 0.6 metres, and a maximum depth of 1.7 metres. Approximately 95 per percent of the area is between 0.6 to 1 metre deep. The deeper shallow fill, up to 1.7 metres deep is located in the northern end of the site and at the former shoreline. The shallow fill mainly comprises of building rubble, silt clay and ash. The preliminary data suggests that this area is suitable for unrestricted residential use already. However, the area will be assessed further to fully characterise the soil, and any potential additional remediation requirements.
1.2.2 Deep Fill Area 
The deep fill area of the site (the reclaimed land area) averages approximately 4.7 metres deep, and has a maximum depth of 7.2 metres. The surface fill, which is approximately 1.5 metres thick, comprises ash and crushed sandstone, and clay fill or clayey sand fill with sandstone fragments. Preliminary laboratory test data suggest that the fill is relatively clean, but overlies impacted lime sludge and wastes. Further testing of the soil will be carried out in the near future. 
1.2.3 Order of Works
The remediation time frame will be 2 years, although the DHTD unit will only be operational for 18 months. The DHTD unit is a closed loop process that will remediate all on-site contaminants. The residential proportions of the site will be remediated to the Residential (A) standard, which allows a house with access to a garden. 
The excavation works will begin in the northern site, and move south. The treatment unit will be located at the southern corner of the site, and will not be moved off site until Earth Tech Engineering has approval that the site is clean. After the contaminated soil is cleaned, it is stockpiled on site and water is added to aid compaction and to minimise dust. The clean soil is then used as on-site fill. 
Monitoring of the DHTD unit will be undertaken throughout the remediation works. A Quality Plan will be prepared, to ensure that all quality assurance matters are dealt with. Monitoring strategies will include criteria, analysis and reporting of all on-site works. 
Third Party Auditing will be undertaken throughout the course of the remediation works, as stipulated by the NSW EPA. Auditing of non-statutory documents, such as the Health and Safety Plan will be undertaken by the Auditor as well as being internally reviewed by Earth Tech. Meriton, the owner of the site, is currently choosing an Auditor accredited by the NSW EPA. 

1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
A number of environmental issues are discussed in the EIS. These include:
· Air quality;
· Noise and vibration; 
· Geology and hydrology; 
· Ecological studies; 
· Traffic assessment; 
· Heritage; and
· Other environmental issues including visual impact assessment, socio-economic assessments, and waste management will also be incorporated in the document. 
1.3.1 Air Quality 
Air quality assessment for the stockpiles, excavation works and emissions from the DHTD unit is being undertaken, and must meet EPA emission requirements. Emissions tests, including organic compounds and particulates, for proposed thermal units currently treating pesticide contaminated soils are currently being conducted. The nominated thermal contractor will continue to address emissions monitoring to ensure that the unit is working properly, and to the specified guidelines. 

Approximately 75, 0000 m³ of material warrants treatment. Excavation works, and other potential dust sources will be controlled so that exposure is minimised. Dust minimisation will occur through controls such as monitoring wind and speed direction, covering stockpiles, maintaining access tracks and stockpiles with watering and revegetating remediated areas progressively. In addition, vegetation on the site will only be removed as needed. 

The operator of the DHTD unit will undertake daily inspections and regular service and maintenance inspections of the DHTD unit at specified intervals. The intervals will be determined according to the amount of output that is being processed through the machine and the temperature that it has been operating at. 
If there is found to be a problem with the machine, or if the output thresholds are found to exceed the specified levels, the unit is immediately shut down. The entire system instantly stops works, so the problem can be assessed and fixed before any works begin again. 
1.3.2 Other environmental issues
* Contamination assessment is being undertaken to assess existing on-site conditions. On-site controls and mitigation measures will be established to minimise cross contamination of soil. 
* Water management controls will be implemented to manage surface water, stormwater, and wastewater. 
* Erosion and sediment control measures will be implemented and monitored. To ensure that cross contamination does not occur, all clean and impacted materials will be kept separate on the site, and there will be separate on-site transport routes for clean and impacted soils.
* Ecological studies will address the direct impacts to the terrestrial flora and fauna, and indirect impacts to aquatic ecology. Eight-Part Tests are being conducted. 
* Traffic impacts will be assessed against traffic counts taken prior to the remediation works. 
* Noise tests and vibration assessments have been undertaken to assess the potential impacts of the machinery on the site, on the surrounding locality. 

1.4 ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS
In addition to the EIS, a number of supporting documents will be produced. Although they are not yet finalised, the process is under way. The associated documents include: 
1.4.1 Remedial Action Plan (RAP)
Additional assessments will be undertaken to characterise the eastern portion of the site, and the surface fill at the western and northern sections of the site prior to earthmoving activities commencing at the site. There are also plans to replace the existing sea wall with a new sea wall as some impacted soil may be present within this wall. A cut off wall (potentially a sheet pile wall) may need to be installed along the southern site boundary to prevent potential cross contamination from the Lednez site 
1.4.2 Hazard Analysis
Preliminary Hazard Analysis and HAZOP (Hazard and Operational Study) will assesses the hazards associated with the DHTD unit. The purpose of these studies is to classify the risks and develop contingency plans which may be implemented in the event of an accident or emergency.
1.4.3 Health Risk Assessment (HRA)
The Health Risk Assessment is being undertaken by Dr Roger Drew, who has extensive experience in toxicological assessment. Dr Drew is the only consultant toxicologist in Australasia certified by the American Board of Toxicology. He has degrees in biochemistry, pharmacology and a post-graduate degree in toxicology. He is a toxicology consultant to Australian Federal and State Authorities and a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) standing committee on Scheduled Wastes and the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia. 
The aims of HRA are to set clean up criteria that will protect human health, so that the land is suitable for:
· Residential uses (in accordance with Exposure Setting A, National Environmental Health Forum 1999 & NEPM);
· Open space and public access (in accordance with Exposure Setting E, NEHF 1999 & NEPM); and
· It will also investigate ecological health such that the land won't have any detrimental effects to terrestrial organisms.
The HRA will also calculate clean up goals based on established criteria, for contaminants for which there are no existing criteria. 
The HRA will include:
· An identification of the contaminants;
· Identification of persons at potential risk, such as workers and residents; and
· Potential exposure pathways, such as ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation.
Following the background works, clean-up goals will be established to ensure that human and ecological health is protected. 
The HRA will be reviewed internally by Earth Tech Inc in the USA and must be approved externally be the NSW EPA and a Third Party Auditor. The HRA will then be used in conjunction with the Remedial Action Plan, Occupational Health and Safety Plan, Environmental Management Plan, the Project Quality Assurance Plan and the Emergency and Incident Procedure to dictate the works on-site.
1.4.4 Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
Following the EIS a detailed EMP will be developed. An outline of the EMP will be included in the EIS, as well as all mitigating actions, monitoring regimes and reporting procedures outlined in the EIS. The EMP will address all development consent conditions, licenses and on-site issues. It will identify sampling and monitoring locations, and frequencies, analytes, trigger levels, mitigation measures and accountabilities and will be one of the management tools controlling Earth Tech's and the sub-contractors' works when on-site. 

1.5 LEDNEZ SITE ISSUES
Meetings have been held with Waterways and Thiess regarding the remediation projects, timing of works, areas of mutual consideration and access issues for both the Allied Feeds and Lednez sites. Where possible, information on issues, such as air quality, surface and groundwater, noise, and traffic will be shared between the sites to ensure that the data for cumulative effects are consistent.
The Director General's Requirements have been issued and are essentially the same as the requirements for the adjoining Lednez site. Copies are available on request.

1.6 CONSULTATION WITH GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES
Consultation with a number of government authorities has been under way since December 2001. A Planning Focus Meeting was held in December 2001 with planningNSW, NSW EPA, NSW Department of Health, City of Canada Bay Council, and Waterways. Consultation has also been under way with the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, NSW Fisheries, National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Office. 

1.7 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION 
The community consultation process has thus far included:
· Letterbox drop to 5,000 residents in Rhodes, Concord West, Meadowbank, Liberty Grove, Mariners Cove and Concord West on 20-21st December 2001.
· Newsletter additionally available at Concord West Library, City of Canada Bay Council, Office of John Watkins and the Office of John Murray.
· 1800 information line was established on the 29 December 2001 (1800 030 000). Apologies for the delay in making the number operational. The information line may continue during the remediation works, with the line being directed through to the site office.
ERM will continue to keep the community involved and informed during the EIS process.
Community liaison during the remediation works will continue. Earth Tech will provide remediation updates as works progress, by way of newsletters and so on. A CLG will be retained, so long as there is a benefit to the greater community. During remediation, the contact details of Earth Tech's on-site supervisor will be available.