❓ Question regarding remediation of the East Perth Power Station site, focusing on contamination and soil removal. The answer details investigations, contaminants found, and remediation efforts undertaken by Western Power.
AnsweredQoN 766Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the East Perth Power Station site and ask -
(1) What steps has the State Government taken to remediate the East Perth Power Station site?
(2) Have any contaminants been found on the site and if so, what were they and in what quantities were they found?
(3) Has any toxic soil been removed and if so, how many cubic metres of toxic soil have been removed?
(1) What steps has the State Government taken to remediate the East Perth Power Station site?
(2) Have any contaminants been found on the site and if so, what were they and in what quantities were they found?
(3) Has any toxic soil been removed and if so, how many cubic metres of toxic soil have been removed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 April 2006
Responded by
Minister for Energy
Response time
15 days
The Minister for Energy has provided the following response: (1) Since the mid-1990s, Western Power has completed several site investigations of East Perth Power Station with a view to remediating any contamination on the site to the Department of Environment's (DoE) health investigation levels for residential sites. (2) Investigations showed that there were some areas on the site where soil had low concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and asbestos, which were nevertheless above either the DoE's ecological investigation level or health investigation level for residential sites. Generally contamination was confined to near the surface. There was little or no evidence that contamination had impacted groundwater under the site. No contamination was detected under the power station buildings. (3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
(1) Since the mid-1990s, Western Power has completed several site investigations of East Perth Power Station with a view to remediating any contamination on the site to the Department of Environment's (DoE) health investigation levels for residential sites. (2) Investigations showed that there were some areas on the site where soil had low concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and asbestos, which were nevertheless above either the DoE's ecological investigation level or health investigation level for residential sites. Generally contamination was confined to near the surface. There was little or no evidence that contamination had impacted groundwater under the site. No contamination was detected under the power station buildings. (3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
(2) Investigations showed that there were some areas on the site where soil had low concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and asbestos, which were nevertheless above either the DoE's ecological investigation level or health investigation level for residential sites. Generally contamination was confined to near the surface. There was little or no evidence that contamination had impacted groundwater under the site. No contamination was detected under the power station buildings. (3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
(3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
(1) Since the mid-1990s, Western Power has completed several site investigations of East Perth Power Station with a view to remediating any contamination on the site to the Department of Environment's (DoE) health investigation levels for residential sites. (2) Investigations showed that there were some areas on the site where soil had low concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and asbestos, which were nevertheless above either the DoE's ecological investigation level or health investigation level for residential sites. Generally contamination was confined to near the surface. There was little or no evidence that contamination had impacted groundwater under the site. No contamination was detected under the power station buildings. (3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
(2) Investigations showed that there were some areas on the site where soil had low concentrations of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and asbestos, which were nevertheless above either the DoE's ecological investigation level or health investigation level for residential sites. Generally contamination was confined to near the surface. There was little or no evidence that contamination had impacted groundwater under the site. No contamination was detected under the power station buildings. (3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
(3) In 2003, after reports of these investigations had been considered by the DoE, Western Power and the DoE agreed that Western Power should remediate several contaminated areas to below the environmental investigation level or the health investigation level for residential sites, whichever was lower. During 2004 Western Power removed a total of over 4000 cubic metres of soil from all of these areas within the power station site. Western Power's consultants validated that all contaminants had been removed from each area and that the holes were reinstated with clean fill. All transport and disposal of soil was completed according to DoE guidelines.
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