Redevelopment and Remediation of the
Rhodes Peninsula

Table of Contents
Chair’s Foreword xi
Summary of Recommendations xiii
Glossary xvii
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Background to this inquiry 1
Structure of this report 4
Chapter 2 History of the Rhodes Peninsula Site 5
Location 5
Land use of the Rhodes sites 6
History of Precinct A 8
History of Precinct B 9
History of Precinct C 13
Homebush Bay 13
Chapter 3 Contaminants of concern 15
Chemicals present in site sediment 15
Receptors of contaminants 18
What are dioxins? 19
Exposure pathways for dioxins 20
Effects of dioxin exposure 20
Measurement of dioxin exposure 21
Concentration values 21
Exposure assessment - 1990 21
Exposure assessment update - 1998 22
A review of dioxin standards by environment consultants 24
Differences in 1990 and 1998 TDI calculations 24
Varying approaches to the application and calculation of TDI values 24
Proposed Australian dioxin limits 25
Conclusion 26
Chapter 4 Environmental regulation 27
The legislative framework 27
Contaminated Land Management Act 27
State Environmental Planning Policy No 55: Remediation of Land 28
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 29
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 29
Environmentally Hazardous Chemicals Act 30
Regulation of remediation activities – issues addressed by the EPA 30
Environmental regulation at Rhodes 38
Precinct A 38
Precinct B 39
Precinct C 40
Homebush Bay 40
Status of current liability 41
Chapter 5 Present risks from contaminants 42
Risk status of Precinct A 42
Risk status of Precinct B 42
Risk status of Precinct C 43
Risk status of Homebush Bay - adjacent to Precinct A 44
Risk status of Homebush Bay - adjacent to Precincts B and C 45
Human health 45
Environment 46
Chapter 6 Proposed remediation standards and technology 48
Required remediation standards 48
An appropriate remediation standard – tolerable daily intake 49
Remediation methods 50
Directly heated thermal desorption 51
Indirectly heated thermal desorption 52
Preferred treatment technology 53
Technology capability 53
Financial cost and appropriate remediation standards 56
Precinct A 56
Precinct B and Homebush Bay 56
Precinct C 58
Dioxin based remediation objectives 59
Chapter 7 Remediation related risks 60
Risks to human health during remediation 60
Worker Safety 61
Safety of workers - experiences of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority 62
Dust and odour issues 64
Air quality monitoring 67
Human health study 69
Testing of roof dust 70
Risks to human health after remediation 72
Risks to the environment from remediation 72
Adequacy of Homebush Bay remediation 74
Conclusion 76
Chapter 8 Planning and development requirements 79
Major Planning Instruments 79
History of Planning Requirements 79
Sydney Regional Environmental Plan No 29 – Rhodes Peninsula 80
Development Control Plan and Community Development Plan 81
Transport Management Plan 82
Public Consultation during the planning process 84
Consultation during SREP 29 development 84
Consultation on TMP, DCP and CDP 86
Chapter 9 Public consultation and participation 88
Consultation by government agencies 88
Development of planning controls 88
Remediation and redevelopment planning 89
Consultation by developers 91
Precinct B and Homebush Bay 91
The Homebush Bay Environment Reference Group – a consultation model 93
Disseminating information through the Internet 95
Chapter 10 Development based concerns 97
Density of development and traffic implications 97
Planning of densities 97
Existing traffic issues 98
Road congestion issues 99
Accommodation of extra traffic 100
Influencing travel patterns 101
Public transport 101
Provision of transport infrastructure 103
Rail 103
Bus 104
Conclusion 105
Schools 106
Amenity impacts on surrounding areas 106
Environment considerations 107
Healthy Rivers Commission 108
Chapter 11 Concluding recommendations 110
Statement of Dissent: Hon Ian Cohen MLC 111
Appendix 1 Reclamation areas 119
Appendix 2 Transport Management Plan 122
Appendix 3 Submissions 132
Appendix 4 Witnesses 134
Appendix 5 Previous Publications 136
Figures, Tables and Charts
Table 1.1 Publications, position and date of advertising of committee’s terms of reference 2
Table 1.2 Number and percentage of submissions by organisation type 3
Table 1.3 Number and percentage of witnesses by organisation type 3
Figure 2.1 Rhodes peninsula boundaries 5
Figure 2.2 Rhodes peninsula 1930 7
Figure 2.3 Rhodes peninsula 1951 7
Figure 2.4 Rhodes peninsula 1970 7
Table 2.1 History of chemical manufacture on Precinct B 9
Figure 2.5 Encapsulation boundaries 11
Table 2.2 Average contamination levels in soil and fill on Precinct B 12
Table 3.1 Chemicals examined in Homebush Bay sediment 15
Table 3.2 Average contamination levels in sediment for sample grids in Homebush Bay 16
Figure 3.1 Dioxin contamination in surface level sediments of Homebush Bay 17
Table 3.3 International standards for human intake of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs 23
Table 5.1 Chemicals of main concern to the environment 46
Table 8.1 Estimated transport demand 83