A parliamentary question addresses the Shire of Busselton's compliance with landfill site license conditions and potential environmental impacts, with the Minister confirming no breaches but ongoing groundwater monitoring. A further response on findings is pending.

AnsweredQoN 266Legislative Council
Asked
8 May 2007
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

BUSSELTON LANDFILL SITE - LICENCE CONDITIONS
(1) Has the Shire of Busselton been found to have operated the Rendezvous Road landfill site outside of its Department of Environment and Conservation licence conditions at any time? (2) If so - (a) what action was taken against the Shire of Busselton; (b) what remedial works were requested to be undertaken by the Shire of Busselton; and (c) is the site currently operating within its licence conditions? (3) Has any monitoring been conducted to ensure that surrounding properties have not been impacted by contaminants including heavy metal from the landfill site through either surface drainage or the movement of groundwater? (4) Will the minister please specify the time, location and finding of these tests? Hon SALLY TALBOT

AnswerView source ↗

I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice to the question. (1) No. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
(2) If so - (a) what action was taken against the Shire of Busselton; (b) what remedial works were requested to be undertaken by the Shire of Busselton; and (c) is the site currently operating within its licence conditions? (3) Has any monitoring been conducted to ensure that surrounding properties have not been impacted by contaminants including heavy metal from the landfill site through either surface drainage or the movement of groundwater? (4) Will the minister please specify the time, location and finding of these tests? Hon SALLY TALBOT replied: I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice to the question. (1) No. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
(b) what remedial works were requested to be undertaken by the Shire of Busselton; and (c) is the site currently operating within its licence conditions?
(c) is the site currently operating within its licence conditions?
(4) Will the minister please specify the time, location and finding of these tests? Hon SALLY TALBOT replied: I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice to the question. (1) No. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
Hon SALLY TALBOT replied: I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice to the question. (1) No. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice to the question. (1) No. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
(1) No. (2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
(2) Not applicable. (3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
(3) Yes, monitoring has been undertaken at this site from September 1998 to the present. The monitoring has targeted potential contamination to groundwater. (4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.
(4) The site has been tested since September 1998 at nine monitoring bore locations at a frequency of twice per annum for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nutrients, potassium chloride, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. The Department of Environment and Conservation is reviewing the relevant reports and will provide a further response to the finding once this is complete.

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