Binary remediation update - 19 February 2007
Weekly update
To keep local residents, businesses, media and other interested parties fully informed of the remediation of the Narangba Industrial Estate, the department is publishing a weekly update.
Monday 19 February 2007 to Friday 23 February 2007
A vibration roller is used by the contractor to maintain on-site roads.
soil in containment pond 4 is excavated by the contractor. The department has been supervising all remediation works conducted on site.
Odour suppressant sprays are used to control odour emissions during excavation work.
The current soil remediation activities are part of the EPA's ongoing cleanup and remediation works on State and local government-owned land adjacent to the Binary factory site.
Activities performed between Monday 19 February 2007 and Friday 23 February 2007 are provided below:
- Transport by the soil contractor of approximately 1000 tonnes of soil from containment Ponds 3 and 4 to the Collex Pty Ltd Ti Tree landfill facility;
- To date, a total of approximately 5900 tonnes of soil has been removed off site for bioremediation;
- The remediation site received approximately 30mm of rainfall this week;
- Approximately 500,000L of water was pumped from ponds 3 and 4 and transferred to the department's on-site treatment dam; and
- Validation sampling of excavated ponds was undertaken to ensure remaining soil meets soil remediation criteria.
The following measures were undertaken to prevent the spread of contamination and minimise nuisance emissions such as dust and odour from the remediation activities:
- Maintaining clean gravel roads to prevent the tracking of mud;
- Weather monitoring and use of stop work policies in response to events including strong wind and rain;
- All of the contractor's trucks were covered when transporting loads of contaminated soil;
- Decontamination of on-site equipment moved from dirty to clean areas;
- Use of odour suppressant sprays in the excavations and on soil stockpiles;
- Covering of soil stockpiles with tarpaulins to prevent rain infiltration during rain events;
- Use of water sprays to minimise dust on the roads, excavations and soil stockpiles;
- Compulsory use of the rubble grid at the site entrance to shake truck wheels (remove excess soil) upon exiting the site; and
- Inspection and cleaning, as required, of all trucks prior to leaving the site.
Once contaminated soil is bioremediated at the Collex Ti Tree Landfill facility, it will be disposed of in a lined landfill or purpose-built mono-cell at the Collex facility. The department inspected the Ti Tree Landfill facility on 14 February 2007 and obtained bioremediation soil samples.
Anyone with concerns about odour, soil or water contamination from the Estate is advised to contact DERM.
Containment pond capacity
Containment pond
A rumble grid (in red) that all trucks drive over before leaving the site.
In relation to the Zelam fire which occurred on 16 December 2006, there has been no overflow from the containment pond which currently has a freeboard (distance between the water and top of the containment pond) of 0.8 metres.
The containment pond was used to transfer water from the bund in a tributary of Saltwater Creek built by Caboolture Shire Council to capture water used to fight the fire. The department issued an emergency direction to Zelam Pty Ltd to transfer the fire run-off water into one of the four containment ponds constructed to contain the Binary fire run off water last year. Zelam Pty Ltd has committed to disposing of this water.
Zelam Pty Ltd has been issued with an Environmental Protection Order to treat and dispose of the water and to maintain a freeboard of at least 0.5m .
The department believes the risk of overflow due to excessively heavy rain is extremely low, but if it becomes a possibility the department will pump the water into the adjacent containment pond to ensure that there is no release to the tributary.
Saltwater Creek
A sealed, covered truck leaving the site, transporting soil to the Collex Landfill facility.
The department has continued to closely monitor the Saltwater Creek system following the Zelam fire. Water samples taken from Saltwater Creek following the Zelam fire, have been sent to an independent laboratory. Once the testing, review and analysis of these samples is finalised the results will be posted on this website. There has been no evidence of aquatic life in Saltwater Creek being affected.
Since the Binary fire in August 2005, the department has been monitoring Saltwater Creek system. These results are on the department website Saltwater Creek system.
Last updated 13 March 2007