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View these Updates in a new window
In
late 2006 Thiess made a section 96 application to vary the remediation
consents for the former Union Carbide site and nearby Homebush Bay to: Chemical scorecard site of Environmental
Defence, Inc This site lets you see the
relative toxicity and a whole range of other
information on individual chemicals. Pesticide Action Network (PAN)
Pesticides Database: This site lets
you see the a whole range of other information on
individual pesticides:
Big win for Community and Greenpeace On Wednesday 2 March 2005 Thiess confirmed to a meeting of the former Meriton CLG that EarthTech have been terminated by Meriton, ERM are no longer involved and the Cedarrapids incinerator will not be used. Thiess have taken over the Allied Feeds /Meriton remediation and will use a mahcine which, while still direct thermal desorption and incineration, is a machine whcih is suitable for the remediation of chlorinated compounds, has a cyclone to remove fine dust before it cools and has contaminants re-bind to it, a rapid quench to prevent re-formation of dioxins in the atmosphere,and a wet scrubber to remove hydrogen chloride. For full details see: Big Win For Community & Greenpeace Now what we need are testing of the Point Park sediments and a Bay remediation which meets WHO standards. Truck movements during removal of 100,000 tonnes of dirt from the Meriton site will be an issue, although it would have been faced after remediation under the EarthTech proposal. Blood Sampling first stage collection completed NSW Health has completed the first stage of a blood sampling program for Rhodes residents. It involved collection of blood in age/gender cohorts matching the National Dioxin Survey of the Federal Government. Control samples have been collected through the assistance of the NSW Blood Bank. Further sampling will be done when the total exposure to increased dioxin through the remediation is about half way. Both initial control and Rhodes samples and the new samples and controls will then be tested to ensure that there has not been a significant increase in dioxin levels in Rhodes residents. Assuming there has not, further sampling will be done on completion of the remediation and testing will then be completed. All testing results (which are based on pooled, not individual samples) will be released to the community shortly after becoming available to NSW Health. Rhodes residents demand better cleanup of sediments and Meriton site, better protection for residents and no incineration of toxic waste On Sunday 27 June, 2004 Rhodes
residents attended an anti-incineration meeting.
They passed the following resolutions: For full background see the Press release Greenpeace action at Rhodes as protest against incineration of toxic waste On Sunday 27 June, 2004 Greenpeace moved 58 barrels of dioxin contaminated material from the Meriton site where it would be incinerated to the Government's former Union Carbide where it should be treated by a closed loop process. Greenpeace are totally opposed to the incineration of toxic wastes and garbage even when marketed as waste to energy plants or alternative fuels for cement kilns. for more information see our Incineration page or Greenpeace's Toxics pages Stockholm Convention against POP's should prevent incineration of toxics at Rhodes and Botany. The Stockholm Convention is an international Convention that bans or seeks to eliminate 12 persistent organic pollutants. This includes the elimination of dioxins, furans, HCB and PCBs as by-products. [For more information on POPs visit: http://www.greenpeace.org.au/toxics/pops/index.html ] The Stockholm convention should, on its terms, prevent the incineration of toxic wastes at Rhodes and Botany (Orica HCB stockpile of 60,000 barrels). Read Greenpeace's analysis of why the Stockholm convention prevents incineration at Rhodes on our Incineration page. Newington threatened by incineration The Olympic suburb of Newington is threatened by emissions from incineration from the Medical waste incinerator and the incineration of toxic waste at Rhodes. The medical waste incinerator is reputedly one of the larger individual emitters of dioxins in NSW, if not Australia. Where exactly does it rank? Does it have constant sampling to monitor dioxin emissions? Does it utilise proven technology to virtually eliminate dioxin emissions? Why isn't it required under the Stockholm convention to act to reduce dioxin emissions? Australian Government Releases Dioxin Reports The Australian Government has released a series of 12 reports on dioxin in our environment, where it comes from, what body burden we and various animals and marine life have, the health implications and have concluded that we should be reducing exposures to dioxin. Visit the home page of the Australian National Dioxin Project Download any/all of the 12 reports or Executive Summary Orica to "remediate" worst lead contaminated sediments Orica has lodged a DA to "remediate the worst lead contaminated sediments off the former Berger Paints plant at the Southern end of the Rhodes Waterside development. Effectively the plan is to dig up and remove the lead contaminated sediments to a landfill south of Wollongong and to fill the excavated area with "clean" fill, capping any lead contaminated sediments below the excavated area. There are lead sediments North and South of the area to be remediated which are not being touched. The EPA considers that the remaining lead will not be serious risk of harm even to young children with frequent exposure. The phthalate contaminated sediments off the former CSR/Orica chemicals are NOT being remediated, even though phthalates are a likely endocrine disruptor. These sediments run along the foreshore on the Northern half of the Rhodes Waterside developement. For further information on the harmful effects of lead see the Lead Group: http://www.lead.org.au EPA to announce Lead sediments off Rhodes Waterside (former Berger Paints) to be declared a remediation area Watch the Sydney Morning Herald for the advertisement; expected 24 Dec 2003 (EPA rang to ensure we didn't miss it - Thanks EPA) The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the
proposed remediation of the dioxin contaminated
NSW Government Waterways owned former Union
Carbide Lednez site and a strip of sediments in
Homebush Bay is available from the COI website: See
here! To view all available downloads
including the Letter to the Minister, the
Recommendations, list of background documents and
list of submissions. A review of the document should be available within a week, but a preliminary view is that there are some recommendations which will assist in communication, understanding, coordination and enforcement of conditions of approval, the Commissioner has made no recommendations for increased scope of works in the Bay or for testing of the sediments off Point Park. It is also clear that there is likely to be some impact of dust and noise in excess of normal allowances on residents of Blaxland Road and that people living in apartments on the Statewide (former Glad factory on corner of Marquet and Osgathorpe Streets or Meriton (former Allied Feeds) sites before the completion of the Union Carbide site/Homebush Bay works may be severely effected particularly during daylight work hours. Local cancer fears eased NSW Health
Newsletter cancer study result eases residents' concerns. Serum study proposed.
At the public meeting on Thursday 27
November residents said they want serum
study baseline samples analysed and released
immediately and they confirm the need for post
remediation soil testing. Instrument of Consent by Minister for Meriton /EarthTech/Allied Feeds site (consent 27 October added 21 November2003) (pdf 268 kb) Ministerial submission re consent for Meriton /EarthTech/Allied Feeds site (pdf 113 kb) 21/11/03) 13/10/03 Submission to Thiess COI Annexure to submission to Thiess COI with supporting tables and graphs Summary of submissions to Thiess COI Meriton site - draft conditions for Minister's consent (477kb Word) Meriton site - submissions on draft conditions for Ministers consent (53 kb Word) 10/07/03 Meriton Commission of Inquiry Reports Meriton COI submission checklist Meriton COI Rebuttal Submission 03/03/03 Thiess Presentation on Remediation Criteria for Land of Waterways' former Union Carbide Site. (871kb) 03/03/03 Thiess Presentation on Remediation Criteria for Land of Waterways' former Union Carbide Site. (871kb) 03/03/03 Minutes of 10th Thiess CLG 03/03/03 Answers given at 10th Thiess CLG to advance questions 03/03/03 Answers to questions asked at 10th Thiess CLG Meriton site submissions: Submission to Commission of
Enquiry (abridged regarding certain allegations -
full version available from Commission of Enquiry) Thiess / Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB)(formerly known
as PPK) EIS for the Waterways owned former Union
Carbide site will shortly be available from
Planning NSW in both printed and CD formats. The
two major issues appear to be: 2. The reduced scope of works in the bay compared to what could be undertaken to achieve a significantly greater reduction in dioxin exposure through the food chain. "If the EU (ed: European Union) fish dioxin standards were to be applied in NSW, then it is likely that commercial and possibly recreational fishing would need to be banned for much of Sydney Harbour as well as other NSW waterways, such as the Shoalhaven River (downstream of the paper mill) and in inland waterways in cotton growing areas." (p10 Detailed Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment of Homebush Bay Sediments Supplementary Final Report December 2002) Letter announcing Commission of Enquiry into EIS for Meriton's dioxin contaminated former Allied Feeds site at Rhodes. Meriton EIS issues has been substantially updated, including regarding assumed background body burdens and intakes and issues regarding dioxin formation above the stack and dioxin emission standards Possible Commission of Enquiry. See http://www.coi.nsw.gov.au for information on Commisions of Enquiry. You can also download the Report of the Orica Botany HCB Destruction Enquiry from this site. Planning NSW website says exhibition period for Meriton EIS has been extended to 20 December. 10/12/2002 Trafalgar/Multiplex have issued their first Community Newsletter (November 2002). They will be holding a community information morning on Saturday 7th December at the Rhodes Community Centre, 63 Blaxland Road Rhodes (the Old School) from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm. 4/12/2002 Orica sediments declared an "investigation area" under the contaminated Land Management Act. Orica propose a further investigation. Orica still won't release the URS Report into the sediments of their former sites - now McRoss' Rhodes Waterside Development. These sediments were identified in the1997 State of the Environment Report as heavily contaminated with lead. They are also contaminated with phthalates. 4/12/2002 Trafalgar/Multiplex - Development CLG First Meeting Minutes (not part of EIS) 4/12/2002 Presentation by Trafalgar and others about the development of the former Union Carbide site. 23/11/2002 Updated the Issues and Comments for the Meriton EIS on 21/11/02 Open Day
to present Meriton EIS Coming Meetings: Mertiton EIS
Introduction Page Get the Executive Summary of the Meriton EIS (2.5 megs of pdf) http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/onexhibition/execsumm_rhodes.pdf Meriton's contractor for the remediation of the former Allied Feed's site has lodged the EIS and it is on public exhibition. See the text of the advertisement about the exhibition and how you can comment. See the clean up standards for Meriton's site. Meriton have lodged a DA for the subdivision of the former Allied Feeds site McRoss received approval for 2 DA's in September 2001, including in principle approval for the on and off ramps near oulton Avenue and the Liberty Grove Tower Blocks and Sandpiper. Details are to be approved by RTA within the principles already approved. Commercial, Retail and a Residential component were approved, plus all bulk earthworks. A lot of residential and the landscaping were not approved. Approval granting consent to the subdivision, road layout, bulk earthworks, shops, bulky goods retailing, commercial offices and residential components of the application subject to the conditions of consent referred to in in Schedule (s) 2; and refusing consent for the "remainder of site" and landscaping components of the application. Approval for DA No. 375-12-2001 Approval granting consent to the application for commercial office development , Precinct A, Rhodes Peninsula, Rhodes subject to the conditions in the attached Schedule 2. Freedom of Information Requests lodged to obtain copy of URS Report into Orica sediments. EIS for Meriton's former Allied Feeds site delayed. Amendments required by government before public exhibition. EIS for Waterways' Union Carbide site and strip of sediments in Homebush Bay delayed. EPA refuses to release URS health risk assessment on Orica sediments in spite of Enquiry recommendation. What have EPA, Orica and Waterways got to hide? Canada Bay council to lodge Freedom of Information request if Orica won't release report. Canada Bay calls for NSW Health to survey fish contamination in Parramatta River. Canada Bay calls for Sydney Harbour Catchment Management Blueprint to focus on western half of river, areas of algal bloom and eutrophication (dead river syndrome) and contaminated sediments near AGL site Gavin Birch to present to Canada Bay Council about Contamnation sediments in Parramatta River at 6:30 pm Tuesday 10 September at Drummoyne Council Chambers, Marlborough Street. Prof
Paul Connett spoke against incineration at Rhodes
on 17 July 2002, courtesy of Greenpeace. Parliamentary
Enquiry Report (pdf: 1,678kb) Clean up standards for sediments - here is the table from the May 199 Call For Proposals. The same document which said at 2.4.4 that : "Incineration based technology is not acceptable." What's changed that would allow direct thermal desorption? Where is the competitive tender? Been told that they can't monitor the stack of Meriton/Earthech's proposed Direct Thermal Desorber (Incinerator) continuously for dioxin emissions? See this technology now mandatory in Flanders, Belgium Trust chemical companies? See this page re US EPA's problems with Monsanto regarding dioxin. 20/6/2002 Meriton/EarthTech/ERM
Newsletter 3 (pdf of 192 kb) about proposed remediation
of the former Allied Feeds site added. 22/5/2002 Health Risk Assessment presentation from May meeting of CLG added (Use your browser's "Back" button to return) 22/5/2002 Alternative version of Health Risk Assesesment with no graphics also available if you have problems with the page accessed by the link above. (Use your browser's "Back" button to return) 22/5/2002 "Part 2 of EIS" Presentation added. (Use your browser's "Back" button to return) 22/5/2002 Treatment of Dioxins presentation added. Shows proposed plant. (Use your browser's "Back" button to return) 13/5/02 NSW Health Information from 11 April 02 and 21 March 02 added. These have graphs of cancer and asthma comparative statistics 20/4/02 14-3-02 Minutes Union Carbide site, Meeting 7: Cumulative Impacts; Outcomes of studies 20/4/02 12-12-01 Minutes Union Carbide site, Meeting 6: Health - public and worker 20/4/02 29-11-01 Minutes Union Carbide site, Meeting 5: Remedial Action Plan - Thursday 29 November 18/4/02 15-11-01 Minutes Union Carbide site, Meeting 4: Health Risk Assessment - Thursday 15 November 18/4/02 15-11-01 Agenda Union Carbide site, Meeting 4: Health Risk Assessment - Thursday 15 November 18/4/02 29-11-01 Agenda Union Carbide site, Meeting 5: Remedial Action Plan - Thursday 29 November 18/4/02 Draft Minutes for third Meriton CLG meeting added 18/4/02 Draft Minutes for second Meriton CLG meeting added 18/4/02 Minutes for first Meriton CLG meeting added (in pdf format) 18/4/02 Agenda for first Meriton CLG meeting added 1/4/02 Added pdf file of transcript of First days hearings at Parliamentary enquiry 1/4/02 Added pdf file of transcript of Second days hearings at Parliamentary 1/2/02 See the lack of dust and
run-off control at Mortlake. The EPA standards clearly
didn't prevent significant dust and water
pollution problems. The Community Liaison Group wants both sites to use negative pressure sheds to contain dust. The Parliamentary Enquiry by the
Standing Committee on State Development has
finished hearings. Transcripts are available in .pdf
format. Next meeting of the Rhodes/Homebush Bay Community
Liaison Group is Thursday 29 November 5:30 pm. Contact rlennings@bigpond.com
or ring Sara Phillips at PPK Sydney Harbour Catchment Management Board is
seeking public comment on its draft Catchment
Management plans for the next 10 years.
Extracts from State of the Environment 2000, Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils State of the Environment 2000, Sydney Water's Towards Sustainability 2000 relating to Parramatta River added to Parramatta River and State of the Environment pages Notes of meetings of 1 November and 15 November added. Minutes are not available until confirmed. Agenda for meetings of 1November added. Click on the links for information about the Director General of DUAP's Requirements for the EIS, the EIS Process, the Membership of the Community Liaison Group, the Terms of Reference for the CLG, Agendas, Minutes, and Leaflets distributed to the local communities. Parliamentary Enquiry established Lots of information about the EIS for the Government's former Union Carbide site and the heavily dioxin contaminated strip of sediments in Homebush Bay. Australian Investigation Levels for Soil and
Groundwater in the Assessment of site
contamination. Part of the National Environment
Protection (Assessement of Site Contamination)
Measure 1999 The EPA has a Contaminated Land Management Page Remediation
of contaminated land in NSW is governed by SEP
55 DUAP / EPA have a guide to SEPP 55 EIS consultation starts at Rhodes Community Centre 22 September. 10 am to 1 pm, presentation at 11 am followed by sausage sizzle. Kids catered for. 13/9/01 NSW Labor won't stop a 13 minute delay for 2000 cars a
day on Concord Road at 1 set of lights. The
EIS for the dross city tunnel shows that 8 Eastern
Suburbs can do whole journeys to the CBD in
morning peak in less time. Where is the equity for
our Labor held seat? AGL funded a health study for their remediation
at Mortlake. Where is the health study for Rhodes? No Transport Management Plan for major
redevelopment of Meadowbank. -Both communities
need an independent integrated
Transport Management Plan exhibited. When will house roof dust and soil be tested - 60
houses remediated at Dulux. Why no testing of
houses at Rhodes near Orica's Berger Paints &
Waterways' Union Carbide sites. State
Government, Council need to act. Thiess propose 2nd stage of remediation still be
done in Qld contrary to Greenpeace submission.
Transport risk management and contingency plans
needed, facility must be appropriately licenced
and that local community informed. Gov't still refuse to coordinate and provide
holistic reference group - but Thiess agree in
principle to fund site specific group with
independent experts and chair for EIS and Thiess
remediation of sediment strip and Union
Carbide. Waterways / Thiess say sediments around Blaxland
Road boat ramp now tested - results to be made
available. Amendments to SREP 29 on exhibition. DUAP
letterboxing area. Orica now testing sediments near their site. EPA
advises that if Orica are shown to have
significantly contaminated the sediments nearby Orica
will be obliged to remediate them. Thiess
acknowledge dust problems at AGL Mortlake, but say
monitoring showed very few exceedences during
remediation, all problems now are with clean dust
- small consolation if you have to live with it. NSW Health have a provisional TDI for dioxin.
Numbers seem to accord with WHO - but further details
awaited. Waterways Remediation website updated. Organisations interested in submitting their web site addresses to be linked from this site, can forward details to publicaffairs@waterways.nsw.gov.au
Waterways say their risk assessment for soil
remediation used US EPA generally used limit of 1
part per billion - further details awaited. Amendments to SREP 29 on exhibition. DUAP
letterboxing area. Waterways say Orica breaches of Rivers and
Foreshore Improvement Act were inadvertent due to
changing roles of departments, no material over
high tide mark, permits for work done without
permit would have been forthcoming therefore no
penalties applied. This impplies that Waterways
feel that dumping soil over the breathing tubes of
mangroves is ok provided they are above the mean
high water mark. There is potential for coverage
of the tubes to kill the mangroves. There is a
conflict here between the private property rights
above the mean high water mark and the need to
protect the mangroves. Chemicals and Risk Levels From US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry NSW Liberal Shadow Minister for Environment, Peta Seaton calls for Community Reference Group NSW Liberal Opposition Joins Moratorium Call - John Brogden Seaton's Motion in NSW Parliament Councillor Lavender's Support for Moratorium Councillor Tyrell and Inner West Green Call for Moratorium
Orica
Destruction Photo
Call For
Moratorium City of Canada Bay has approved a master plan for a 90,000 sm development of the Alfred Street and former Digital site. The local community groups were not informed of the application to council in breach of Concord Council's policy to do so. This plan provides for up to 1825 car parking spaces, and additional traffic lights on Homebush Bay Drive, and a continuation of Concord Road across Homebush Bay Drive into the site. A page on this development will be published when time permits. Proposed Terms for Community Reference Group suggested by Waterways See community comments on: |
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