❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the environmental oversight of Cleanaway's Brookdale facility, focusing on licence compliance, waste handling practices, and the discovery of concrete-capped drums near the plant. The response indicates some regulatory gaps and ongoing investigations.
AnsweredQoN 689Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
This is further to my question without notice of 11 March 2003. (1) Did the Department of Environmental Protection ever examine the records of the Cleanaway Technical Services facility at Brookdale to ensure it was operating within the scope of its licence? (2) How did Cleanaway get approval to operate the Brookdale facility if it was not known to the DEP what materials were being handled at the facility? (3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(1) Did the Department of Environmental Protection ever examine the records of the Cleanaway Technical Services facility at Brookdale to ensure it was operating within the scope of its licence? (2) How did Cleanaway get approval to operate the Brookdale facility if it was not known to the DEP what materials were being handled at the facility? (3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(2) How did Cleanaway get approval to operate the Brookdale facility if it was not known to the DEP what materials were being handled at the facility? (3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(5) Answered by (1).
(1) Did the Department of Environmental Protection ever examine the records of the Cleanaway Technical Services facility at Brookdale to ensure it was operating within the scope of its licence? (2) How did Cleanaway get approval to operate the Brookdale facility if it was not known to the DEP what materials were being handled at the facility? (3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(2) How did Cleanaway get approval to operate the Brookdale facility if it was not known to the DEP what materials were being handled at the facility? (3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(3) Was the material contained in the concrete capped drums found in a field near the Cleanaway plant a recorded material that was approved to be processed at Brookdale? (4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(4) Did Cleanaway have DEP approval to dump the drums of waste at the site at which they were found? (5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(5) How often did the DEP examine the operations at the Brookdale plant between and including the years 1989 and 1996? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage has provided the following answer - (1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(1) The Department of Environmental Protection, as the regulator for the Brookdale liquid waste treatment facility, undertook reviews of operations as deemed necessary between 1989 and 1996. These reviews were not fully detailed. During 2002 Cleanaway regularly reported wastes accepted at the facility, the DEP spent 22 days inspecting wastes entering the Brookdale facility and the Environmental Protection Authority undertook six audits. The Department of Health was the proponent and had responsibility for managing the facility before it was transferred to the Office of Waste Management in the DEP in May 1994. (2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(2) I am informed that it was considered that there was a community need to deal with small volumes of hazardous wastes and consequently some individual loads containing hazardous waste were allowed to be accepted by the Brookdale facility outside licence approvals. (3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(3) Testing is being undertaken to determine whether any chemicals are present in the concrete cylinders located near the facility last week. These results will be made public once available. (4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(4) It is not yet known who was responsible for placing the concrete cylinders at their current location and whether DEP approval would have been required at the time. (5) Answered by (1).
(5) Answered by (1).
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