A parliamentary question seeks information on the management of organotin waste from shipbuilding and maintenance in Perth, specifically regarding licensing, disposal sites, and groundwater monitoring. The answer details licensing requirements, disposal locations, and explains why specific organotin monitoring isn't conducted at landfills due to its properties and landfill design.

AnsweredQoN 32Legislative Council
Asked
23 May 2001
Portfolio
the Environment and Heritage

QuestionView source ↗

(1) What ship building or ship maintenance operations in the Perth region remove organo-tin compounds as part of their operations?
(2) Are these operators required to be licensed to carry out such an operation?
(3) If not, why not?
(4) At what landfill sites are these wastes disposed?
(5) Which of these landfill sites are monitored to ensure that organo-tin compounds do not leach into the groundwater?
(6) If none, why not?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
13 June 2001
Responded by
Minister for Housing representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
21 days
(2) Yes, except for HMAS Stirling. (3) HMAS Stirling is a Commonwealth facility and does not fall under state jurisdiction. (4) Organotin-containing wastes are disposed of as follows: Fremantle boat Lifters - Henderson Landfill on Cockburn Road, Henderson or Wastestream Management landfill on Thomas Road, Kwinana. Tenix Shipbuilding WA - Thomas Road landfill, Kwinana. HMAS Stirling - Millar Road landfill, Rockingham (5) & (6) Organotin compounds (tributyl tin) are incorporated into ship paints and are strongly bound to paint chips blasted off in ship cleaning operations. In a landfill environment they are more likely to be degraded than mobilised. Both Henderson Landfill and the Millar Road landfill are lined and groundwater monitoring is conducted to confirm the integrity of the liner. The Wastestream Management landfill is an inert landfill and all wastes are now directed to lined cells. Groundwater monitoring at this site has been used to demonstrate that the landfill was not contaminating the local groundwater. The potential volumes of organotin-containing leachate are extremely small owing to the small amount of these compound actually being disposed of and in-situ degradation. Lined landfills are designed to ensure minimal groundwater contamination of any kind. Consequently, organotin-containing wastes are not considered to be a significant threat to groundwater quality, particularly for any likely beneficial uses, and therefore organotin compounds are not monitored at any landfill.
(3) HMAS Stirling is a Commonwealth facility and does not fall under state jurisdiction. (4) Organotin-containing wastes are disposed of as follows: Fremantle boat Lifters - Henderson Landfill on Cockburn Road, Henderson or Wastestream Management landfill on Thomas Road, Kwinana. Tenix Shipbuilding WA - Thomas Road landfill, Kwinana. HMAS Stirling - Millar Road landfill, Rockingham (5) & (6) Organotin compounds (tributyl tin) are incorporated into ship paints and are strongly bound to paint chips blasted off in ship cleaning operations. In a landfill environment they are more likely to be degraded than mobilised. Both Henderson Landfill and the Millar Road landfill are lined and groundwater monitoring is conducted to confirm the integrity of the liner. The Wastestream Management landfill is an inert landfill and all wastes are now directed to lined cells. Groundwater monitoring at this site has been used to demonstrate that the landfill was not contaminating the local groundwater. The potential volumes of organotin-containing leachate are extremely small owing to the small amount of these compound actually being disposed of and in-situ degradation. Lined landfills are designed to ensure minimal groundwater contamination of any kind. Consequently, organotin-containing wastes are not considered to be a significant threat to groundwater quality, particularly for any likely beneficial uses, and therefore organotin compounds are not monitored at any landfill.
(4) Organotin-containing wastes are disposed of as follows: Fremantle boat Lifters - Henderson Landfill on Cockburn Road, Henderson or Wastestream Management landfill on Thomas Road, Kwinana. Tenix Shipbuilding WA - Thomas Road landfill, Kwinana. HMAS Stirling - Millar Road landfill, Rockingham (5) & (6) Organotin compounds (tributyl tin) are incorporated into ship paints and are strongly bound to paint chips blasted off in ship cleaning operations. In a landfill environment they are more likely to be degraded than mobilised. Both Henderson Landfill and the Millar Road landfill are lined and groundwater monitoring is conducted to confirm the integrity of the liner. The Wastestream Management landfill is an inert landfill and all wastes are now directed to lined cells. Groundwater monitoring at this site has been used to demonstrate that the landfill was not contaminating the local groundwater. The potential volumes of organotin-containing leachate are extremely small owing to the small amount of these compound actually being disposed of and in-situ degradation. Lined landfills are designed to ensure minimal groundwater contamination of any kind. Consequently, organotin-containing wastes are not considered to be a significant threat to groundwater quality, particularly for any likely beneficial uses, and therefore organotin compounds are not monitored at any landfill.
(5) & (6) Organotin compounds (tributyl tin) are incorporated into ship paints and are strongly bound to paint chips blasted off in ship cleaning operations. In a landfill environment they are more likely to be degraded than mobilised. Both Henderson Landfill and the Millar Road landfill are lined and groundwater monitoring is conducted to confirm the integrity of the liner. The Wastestream Management landfill is an inert landfill and all wastes are now directed to lined cells. Groundwater monitoring at this site has been used to demonstrate that the landfill was not contaminating the local groundwater. The potential volumes of organotin-containing leachate are extremely small owing to the small amount of these compound actually being disposed of and in-situ degradation. Lined landfills are designed to ensure minimal groundwater contamination of any kind. Consequently, organotin-containing wastes are not considered to be a significant threat to groundwater quality, particularly for any likely beneficial uses, and therefore organotin compounds are not monitored at any landfill.

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