❓ Dr. Edwards questions the lack of permeability testing on clay used to backfill a fire dam and drainage channel on Lot 12 Bird Road, expressing concern about potential contamination of Boomerang Creek. The Minister acknowledges no testing was done, relying on the clay's inherent low permeability and current leachate management.
AnsweredQoN 178Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
178. Dr EDWARDS to the Minister for the Environment:
(1) With respect to the fire dam on Lot 12 Bird Road, what testing was undertaken to determine the permeability and other relevant characteristics of the clay used to backfill the fire dam to ensure that it does not represent a pathway for contaminants?
(2) If no testing was undertaken, how is the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) confident that the fire dam location does not represent a pathway for contaminants leaching from the site to enter the Boomerang Creek?
(3) With respect to the drainage channel, what testing was undertaken to determine the permeability and other relevant characteristics of the clay used to seal the channel in order to ensure that the channel does not represent a pathway for contaminants?
(4) If no testing was undertaken, how is the DEP confidant that the filled channel does not represent a pathway for the off-site transportation of contaminants?
(5) With respect to the shallow dam and given that the DEP has described Lot 12 as a sensitive area which is subject to periodic inundation, why was the dam allowed to be filled with contaminated demolition waste since this represents a clear pathway for the offsite transportation of the contaminants?
(1) With respect to the fire dam on Lot 12 Bird Road, what testing was undertaken to determine the permeability and other relevant characteristics of the clay used to backfill the fire dam to ensure that it does not represent a pathway for contaminants?
(2) If no testing was undertaken, how is the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) confident that the fire dam location does not represent a pathway for contaminants leaching from the site to enter the Boomerang Creek?
(3) With respect to the drainage channel, what testing was undertaken to determine the permeability and other relevant characteristics of the clay used to seal the channel in order to ensure that the channel does not represent a pathway for contaminants?
(4) If no testing was undertaken, how is the DEP confidant that the filled channel does not represent a pathway for the off-site transportation of contaminants?
(5) With respect to the shallow dam and given that the DEP has described Lot 12 as a sensitive area which is subject to periodic inundation, why was the dam allowed to be filled with contaminated demolition waste since this represents a clear pathway for the offsite transportation of the contaminants?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 November 2000
Response time
99 days
The Minister Replied:
(1)No testing was undertaken.
(2)The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has conducted an investigation into backfilling of the dams at Lot 12. The fire dam was backfilled with the same clay that was originally excavated from the fire dam. The clay in this locality is characterised by its low permeability and therefore the DEP considers that backfilling the dam with the clay originally excavated from the dam together with current leachate management at Lot 12 represents appropriate management for the prevention of potential contaminants from inert landfill material entering the Boomerang Creek.
(3)No testing was undertaken.
(4)A section of the drainage channel adjacent to the shallow dam was backfilled with the same clay that was originally excavated from the drainage channel. The clay in this locality is characterised by its low permeability and therefore the DEP considers that backfilling the drainage channel with the clay originally excavated from the channel together with current leachate management at Lot 12 represents appropriate management for the prevention of potential contaminants from inert landfill material entering the Boomerang Creek.
(5)It has not been established that inert material used to backfill the shallow dam was contaminated further.
(1)No testing was undertaken.
(2)The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has conducted an investigation into backfilling of the dams at Lot 12. The fire dam was backfilled with the same clay that was originally excavated from the fire dam. The clay in this locality is characterised by its low permeability and therefore the DEP considers that backfilling the dam with the clay originally excavated from the dam together with current leachate management at Lot 12 represents appropriate management for the prevention of potential contaminants from inert landfill material entering the Boomerang Creek.
(3)No testing was undertaken.
(4)A section of the drainage channel adjacent to the shallow dam was backfilled with the same clay that was originally excavated from the drainage channel. The clay in this locality is characterised by its low permeability and therefore the DEP considers that backfilling the drainage channel with the clay originally excavated from the channel together with current leachate management at Lot 12 represents appropriate management for the prevention of potential contaminants from inert landfill material entering the Boomerang Creek.
(5)It has not been established that inert material used to backfill the shallow dam was contaminated further.
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