Chris Court

1
Managing Risks Associated WithLand contamination

• Chris Court
• Manager Assets
• City of Yarra
• A Council Case Story

2
Overview

• Background to City of Yarra
• Where we were at in 2001
• Policy development
• Process we developed for Council owned or managed
  sites

3
Background to City of Yarra
4
Background to City of Yarra

5
Background to City of Yarra

• 19.5 square kilometres
• 70,000 residents
• 30,000 households
• Inner urban residential, Industrial commercial
• Large areas of fill dating back to the 1800s

6
Where we were at in 2001

• Testing carried out as part of an investigation
  into the use of a site for Child Care adjacent to
  an existing kindergarten site in a heavily built
  up area.
• Results led to the City Of Yarra carrying out
  tests on kindergarten site.
• Found some Hotspots

7
What we found

• Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons
• Benzo(a)Pyrene
• Arsenic
• Lead
• At levels which needed addressing

8
What happened next

• At that point in time the results, language, the
  meaning of it all was unfamiliar to us so a
  conservative approach was taken.
• Removal of soil over 650 SqM site to around 1m
  depth
• Extreme media interest given the sensitive use of
  the site

9
What followed

• We created a policy 2002
• Community Safety and Management of Soil
  Contamination Policy
• www.yarracity.vic.gov.au \ publications

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What followed

• One main benefit of this was the educational
  value it provided.
• It allowed us to collect all the known
  information, linkages, requirements and put in
  writing so people could become familiar with the
  terminology and processes.

11
Policy whats in it

• 1. General information
• Background to soil contamination
• Describes related polices
• Relationships with related organisations (EPA,
  DHS etc)
• Explains the planning role of Council vs.
  ownership role
• General process from when a concern is triggered
• Community consultation to be undertaken

12
Policy whats in it

• 2. How we will proactively assess and manage
  contaminated Council sites
• Action Plan
• Phase 1 - Initial Environmental Site Assessment
  of sensitive use sites
• Desktop review and prioritisation
• Phase 2 Preliminary Environmental Site
  Assessment
• Individual testing and analysis

13
Phase 1 of Action Plan

• Identified 55 Sensitive use sites
• Sites which are used for purposes involving
  children

14
Phase 1 of Action Plan

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Phase 1 Initial Environmental Site Assessment
Investigations

• Initial Environmental Site Assessments (desktop
  review of 55 sites in bulk)
• Site description
• Site History
• Title searches
• Aerial photographs
• Site geology

16
Phase 1 Initial Environmental Site Assessment
Investigations

• Sites were scored based upon
• Potential for site contamination
• Potential to exposure
• Level of sensitivity if exposed

17
Phase 1 Initial Environmental Site Assessment
Investigations outcomes

• The 55 Sites were prioritised for formal soil
  testing and analysis (Phase 2)

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Phase 2 Preliminary Environmental Site
Assessments

• 55 sites / 9 batches over a three year period
• Soil sampling and analysis
• Report for each site with recommendations

19
Phase 2 Preliminary Environmental Site
Assessments - Recommendations

• Recommendations were either
• Remediation options if elevated levels of
  contamination found.
• Recommendation of further analysis of results
  (Health Risk Assessment ) if low levels of
  contamination found.
• Development of a Soil Management Plan for
  contamination which is not an immediate threat.
• No contamination do nothing.

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Phase 2 Preliminary Environmental Site
Assessments End results

• 39 of the 55 sites required either remediation
  and / or implementation of a Soil Management
  Plan.

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Preliminary Environmental Site Assessments
Consideration of results

• As each batch was done the results were presented
  to a Committee consisting of a Councillor
  representative, Staff and a Community
  representative.
• Councillors briefed.

22
Preliminary Environmental Site Assessments
Communication of results

• Communication to Centres, Staff, Parents
• Use of experts to give message
• Simple language
• Letters
• Newsletters
• On site meetings
• Press Releases
• Reports on internet

23
Remediation

• Typical remediations have included geotextile and
  soil, tanbark, matting, construction of hard
  surfaces.
• In many cases we have taken the opportunity to
  re-landscape sites

24
Post Remediation

• Site Management Plans developed
• These describe the site, remediation works and
  maintenance or protection requirements.
• Guidelines for workers developed
• These describe safe work practices for those
  doing the remediation or other site works.

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Ongoing

• Auditing program of remediation works and Site
  Management Plans

26
Ongoing

• Soil testing for all works where digging will
  occur on City of Yarra owned or controlled land.
• Use of guidelines for workers.

27
Our experience

• You are not only protecting the children who use
  the site - you must consider
• Parents
• Volunteers
• Staff
• Workers
• Neighbours
• Public
• Be open and transparent - dont delay
  communications.
• Use easy to understand language and beware of
  situations where misinterpretation may occur.
• Use experts who can put it all into perspective.

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Managing Risks Associated WithLand contamination

• Chris Court
• Manager Assets
• City of Yarra
• A Council Case Story