Environmental Audit Reports
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INFORMATION REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT REPORTS August 2007 VICTORIA'S AUDIT SYSTEM AUDIT REPORT CURRENCY An environmental audit system has operated in Audit reports are based on the conditions encountered Victoria since 1989. The Environmenf Profecfion Acf and information reviewed at the time of preparation 1970 (the Act) provides for the appointment by the and do not represent any changes that may have Environment Protection Authority (EPA Victoria) of occurred since the date of completion. As it is not environmental auditors and the conduct of possible for an audit to present all data that could be independent, high quality and rigorous environmental of interest to all readers, consideration should be audits. made to any appendices or referenced documentation An environmental audit is an assessment of the for further information. condition of the environment, or the nature and extent When information regarding the condition of a site of harm (or risk of harm) posed by an industrial changes from that at the time an audit report is process or activity, waste, substance or noise. issued, or where an administrative or computation Environmental audit reports are prepared by EPA- error is identified, environmental audit reports, appointed environmental auditors who are highly certificates and statements may be withdrawn or qualified and skilled individuals. amended by an environmental auditor. Users are Under the Act, the function of an environmental advised to check EPA's website to ensure the currency auditor is to conduct environmental audits and of the audit document. prepare environmental audit reports. Where an environmental audit is conducted to determine the PDF SEARCHABILITY AND PRINTING condition of a site or its suitability for certain uses, an environmental auditor may issue either a certificate or EPA Victoria can only certify the accuracy and statement of environmental audit. correctness of the audit report and appendices as presented in the hardcopy format. EPA is not A certificate indicates that the auditor is of the opinion responsible for any issues that arise due to problems that the site is suitable for any beneficial use defined with PDF files or printing. in the Act, whilst a statement indicates that there is some restriction on the use of the site. Except where PDF normal format is specified, PDF files are scanned and optical character recognised by Any individual or organisation may engage appointed machine only. Accordingly, while the images are environmental auditors, who generally operate within consistent with the scanned original, the searchable the environmental consulting sector, to undertake hidden text may contain uncorrected recognition environmental audits. The EPA administers the errors that can reduce search reliability. Therefore, environmental audit system and ensures its ongoing keyword searches undertaken within the document integrity by assessing auditor applications and may not retrieve all references to the queried text. ensuring audits are independent and conducted with regard to guidelines issued by EPA. This PDF has been created using the Adobe-approved method for generating Print Optimised Output. To assure proper results, proofs must be printed, rather AUDIT FILES STRUCTURE than viewed on the screen. Environmental audit reports are stored digitally by This PDF is compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader EPA in three parts: the audit report (part A), report Version 4.0 or any later version which is downloadable appendices (part B) and, where applicable, the free from Adobe's Website, www.adobe.com. certificate or statement of environmental audit and an executive summary (part C). A report may be in colour FURTHER I N FORMATION and black-and-white formats. Generally, only black- and-white documents are text searchable. For more information on Victoria's environmental Report executive summaries, findings and audit system, visit EPA's website or contact EPA's recommendations should be read and relied upon only Environmental Audit Unit. in the context of the document as a whole, including Web: www.epa.vic.clov.au/envaudit any appendices and, where applicable, any certificate Email: [email protected] or statement of environmental audit. 1 of 185 I 24287-1I -B APPENDICES 2 of 185 APPENDIX A SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT ON THE USE OF "MERINDAHAVENUE" LAND AND "GREEN BELT RESERVE", SANDRINGHAM THE CITY OF SANDRINGHAM, AUGUST 1990 3 of 185 4UCOMMUNICATIONS TO BE AODRESSED TO THE TOWN CLERK P.O. BOX 27. SANORINGHAM. 3191 OX 34108 SANDRINGHAM FAX: 598 4474 TELEPHONE: 598 81 I1 ENOUlRlES TO SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT ON THE USE OF "MERINDAH AVENUE" LAND AND "GREEN BELT" RESERVE SANDRINGHAM AUGUST 1990 prep:30 4 of 185 . ..: ' 5 of 185 BACKGROUND REPORT ON THE USE OF "MERINDAH AVENUE" LAND AND "GREEN BELT" RESERVE SANDRINGHAM 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In 1988 Council became aware through a technical report ** prepared by Pak-Poy Kneebone Pty Ltd for Pacific Dunlop Batteries Pty Ltd that the land Council owns adjoining their former battery manufacturing plant site was contaminated (to various degrees at eight sample locations) by lead and other heavy metals. The land situated at and extending between the eastern ends of Spring Street and Holloway Road Sandringham is known as the "Merindah Avenue" land and "Green Belt" Reserve. The land was previously used for sand extraction and as a municipal tip. More recently the Merindah Avenue land has been used as an undeveloped grassed area with the Green Belt being planted with trees and shrubs to form an "urban forest" as a buffer between the industrial estate and neighbouring residential areas. 1.2 The tests and analysis carried out by Pak-Poy were for heavy metal contaminat ion. The report shows contamination in certain locations on the Council land of surface and subsurface soil by lead and associated elements including:- Metallic lead Antimonial lead Lead oxide Lead sulphate TABLE 1 SAMPLES TAKEN ON COUNCIL OWNED LAND (mg/kg) (Source: Pak-Poy 61 Kneebone Pty Ltd - 1988 Report) LEAD IN LEAD IN LEAD IN APPROX.DEPTH SAMPLE SURFACE SUBSOIL SUBSOIL OF SOIL LOCATION SOIL 0.lOcm 10-3 Ocm 30- 50cm DISTURBANCE OR FILL (cm) P. 18 415 115 575 P. 19 4,690 640 10 P.20 720 35 5 P.21 30, 100 129 ,000 31,300 P. 22 2,180 205 80 P.23 885 130 50 C. 24 105 - - c.39 140 - - Notes: Prefix of sample locations refers to method of sampling. Where no measurement is given it is unclear . whether no measurements were taken. ** Soils Investigation Sandringham Battery Plant - Final Report. Pak-Poy & Kneebone Consulting Group in association with CSIRO Division of Soils for Pacific Dunlop Batteries, September 1988. 6 of 185 1.3 Tests were also undertaken €or pH levels and the occurrence of : Arsenic Antimony (Sb) Cadium (Cd) Copper (Cu) Zinc (Zn) Refer to Appendix 1, 2 & 3 1.4 The report finds that atmospheric dispersal through the manufacture of lead oxide could have occurred over a wide area leading to surface contamination. The use of acidic solutions could also affect soil pH levels, further lead that was mixed with the landfill could also have caused subsurface contamination. TABLE 2 SAMPLE LOCATIONS WITH NOTED CHARACTERISTICS (Source: Pak-Poy & Kneebone Pty Ltd - 1988 Report) SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS LOCATION P.6 Area used to dump waste materials. P.7 Area used to dump waste materials. P.8 Area used to dump waste materials. P.9 Concentration of other elements where dumping occurred. P. 15 Pieces of metallic lead sieved from fill. Area used to dump waste materials. Concentrations of other elements where dumping occurred. P. 16 Appreciable influence of effects of acid. P.18 * Concentration of other elements where dumping occurred. P.21 * Area used to dump waste materials. Significant contamination continued down to and possible beyond depth of sampling. Concentrations of other elements where dumping occurred. * Locations within Council owned land part of investigation site. Refer to Appendix 1. Note: Prefix in sample location refers to method of sampling. 7 of 185 I HOUOWAY ROAD WANGARA ROAD I GOLF MUMNC I w(EIERy .RANGE I SPRING 1 TAUNGA ROAD W c3 Q5 - 0 - W TULIP c3 STREET - Merindah Avenue / Green Belt Land (Not to scale) t Melway Ref. 77 911 8 of 185 1.5 This report sets out historically the changes that have occurred to the land based upon evidence collected by Council staff. The evidence available indicates the areas most likely to be affected in order to assess and devise a more selective testing grid and analysis program. 2. STUDY AREA 2.1 The following Locality Plan & Site Plan define the area under investigation and which forms the "Merindah Avenue" land and "Green Belt" reserve. 3. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE 3.1 Evidence has been obtained using the following sources: Document8 3.1.1 Soils Investigation Sandringham Battery Plant, Final Report for Pacific Dunlop Batteries by Pak-Poy & Kneebone. Consulting Group in association with C.S.I.R.O. Division of Soils. 3.1.2. "Merindah Avenue Subdivision" Geotechnical Report (No.Q.37A) prepared by A.S. James Pty Ltd for City of Sandringham, 19 November 1976. 3.1.3 Aerial photographs 1945, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960. Crown Land & Surveys. 3.1.4 "Weather and Climate" Sandringham Environment Series - No.5, prepared by Frank Woodcock, 1986. 3.2 Statements 3.2.1 Mr Lloyd Palmer, former Chief Health Surveyor, City of Sandringham. 3.2.2 Mr Jack Davies, former Factory Manager, Pacific Dunlop battery manufacture plant. 3.2.3 Mr Bob O'Mara, former garbage contractor, City of Sandringham. 3.2.4 Mrs Helen Stuchberry, resident, Spring Street, Sandringham. 3.2.5 Mr David Cockburn, resident, Spring Street, Sandringham. 9 of 185 SANDRINGHAM SECONDARY COLLEGE - __ In /-ROAD CLOSURE ,, cv HOLLOWAY ROAD WANGARA ROAD .......... 1 t W 7 I FORMER PACIFIC DUNLOP BATFRY MANUFACTURING.- SITE E2 GOLF .