Ms SACILOTTO - 2006-08-24
Can you please update the House on progress being made in dealing with soil at the Darwin City waterfront site which was contaminated when the area was used for industrial purposes in days gone by?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I make regular site visits to the waterfront and, as most citizens of Darwin who go there on a regular basis will see, that site and that project is rapidly taking shape, which is great to see. Underlying that site, due to many industrial uses over the years, including war time, there has been significant contamination. There was thought to be significant contamination on that site and, prior to the development beginning, there were quite a few studies carried out on the extent and pattern of the contamination on the site. In fact, the contamination that has been unearthed, so to speak, so far, is significantly less than what was expected. Nonetheless, there is contamination there, mainly hydrocarbon contamination.
The issue of remediating that soil is a significant one, and it certainly has had some press in the last three or so weeks. In view of that, I thought it prudent to invite the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Peter Adamson, and some local ward aldermen to be briefed and to see for themselves exactly what is happening with the remediation process. Those aldermen were Rodger Dee, Helen Galton and Heather Sjoberg, as well as the Darwin City Council’s environment officer.
We inspected the stockpile site. The system to remediate the soil is actually fairly simple - it uses the air, it turns the soil over and uses moisture. Within a relatively short period of 12 weeks, 100% is remediated and it can be reused on the site, because fill is certainly a premium at that particular site. It is a bioremediation process, where the contaminated soil is confined in engineered piles while oxygen, water and nutrients, such as phosphorous and nitrogen, enhance biodegradation. This process degrades hydrocarbon contaminants, such as fuel oils, and then the hydrocarbons are broken down to carbon dioxide, water and soil humus. The inorganic fractions become physically and chemically bound to the soil particles.
Importantly, the whole process is properly audited. Environmental consultants, URS Australia, do that work locally, and they are overseen by an independent contaminated land auditor who is accredited under the Victorian Environment Protection Agency. It is a fully audited process. The councillors were able to see that there is no wayward soil going off that site. Every bit of that soil is accounted for. The process is very extensive and very professionally run.
Dr Lim: What is the tonnage?
Dr BURNS: Up to this date, more than 1000 m3 of soil has been treated.
Dr Lim: Thank you.
Dr BURNS: I cannot really hear what the member for Greatorex is saying. I know that he spread some furphies …
Dr Lim: I am thanking you for the tonnage.
Dr BURNS: … not at the last estimates hearings, but the hearings before.
Dr Lim: Thank you for the tonnage you just gave.
Dr BURNS: I should have invited the member for Greatorex down there as well, because …
Dr Lim: I would like to have done that too.
Dr BURNS: … he would have been impressed.
Dr Lim: I would have liked to have done that.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Well, if you want a briefing, and you want to go down there, member for Greatorex, you are more than welcome. If you want to contact my office, I am more than happy for you to go on-site and receive that briefing. You would be more than satisfied with the auditing processes, and the processes on that particular site.
This is a fantastic project that is providing jobs for Territorians. It has been a great boon and boost for local businesses. It is a great project, but underneath it, a lot of care has been taken with the environment. A lot of care will be taken to preserve the heritage in the area - both the settler and Aboriginal heritage. It is going to be great for Darwin. I can hardly wait until the wave lagoon is there. It is going to be something. I have my own little surfboard. I hope to be on one of the first waves.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Darwin for her question. I make regular site visits to the waterfront and, as most citizens of Darwin who go there on a regular basis will see, that site and that project is rapidly taking shape, which is great to see. Underlying that site, due to many industrial uses over the years, including war time, there has been significant contamination. There was thought to be significant contamination on that site and, prior to the development beginning, there were quite a few studies carried out on the extent and pattern of the contamination on the site. In fact, the contamination that has been unearthed, so to speak, so far, is significantly less than what was expected. Nonetheless, there is contamination there, mainly hydrocarbon contamination.
The issue of remediating that soil is a significant one, and it certainly has had some press in the last three or so weeks. In view of that, I thought it prudent to invite the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Peter Adamson, and some local ward aldermen to be briefed and to see for themselves exactly what is happening with the remediation process. Those aldermen were Rodger Dee, Helen Galton and Heather Sjoberg, as well as the Darwin City Council’s environment officer.
We inspected the stockpile site. The system to remediate the soil is actually fairly simple - it uses the air, it turns the soil over and uses moisture. Within a relatively short period of 12 weeks, 100% is remediated and it can be reused on the site, because fill is certainly a premium at that particular site. It is a bioremediation process, where the contaminated soil is confined in engineered piles while oxygen, water and nutrients, such as phosphorous and nitrogen, enhance biodegradation. This process degrades hydrocarbon contaminants, such as fuel oils, and then the hydrocarbons are broken down to carbon dioxide, water and soil humus. The inorganic fractions become physically and chemically bound to the soil particles.
Importantly, the whole process is properly audited. Environmental consultants, URS Australia, do that work locally, and they are overseen by an independent contaminated land auditor who is accredited under the Victorian Environment Protection Agency. It is a fully audited process. The councillors were able to see that there is no wayward soil going off that site. Every bit of that soil is accounted for. The process is very extensive and very professionally run.
Dr Lim: What is the tonnage?
Dr BURNS: Up to this date, more than 1000 m3 of soil has been treated.
Dr Lim: Thank you.
Dr BURNS: I cannot really hear what the member for Greatorex is saying. I know that he spread some furphies …
Dr Lim: I am thanking you for the tonnage.
Dr BURNS: … not at the last estimates hearings, but the hearings before.
Dr Lim: Thank you for the tonnage you just gave.
Dr BURNS: I should have invited the member for Greatorex down there as well, because …
Dr Lim: I would like to have done that too.
Dr BURNS: … he would have been impressed.
Dr Lim: I would have liked to have done that.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Dr BURNS: Well, if you want a briefing, and you want to go down there, member for Greatorex, you are more than welcome. If you want to contact my office, I am more than happy for you to go on-site and receive that briefing. You would be more than satisfied with the auditing processes, and the processes on that particular site.
This is a fantastic project that is providing jobs for Territorians. It has been a great boon and boost for local businesses. It is a great project, but underneath it, a lot of care has been taken with the environment. A lot of care will be taken to preserve the heritage in the area - both the settler and Aboriginal heritage. It is going to be great for Darwin. I can hardly wait until the wave lagoon is there. It is going to be something. I have my own little surfboard. I hope to be on one of the first waves.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016