INFORMATION BULLETIN RESULTS FOR CONTAMINATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE YARRA AND MARIBYRNONG ESTUARIES Publication 1116 March 2007 BACKGROUND This community information publication provides an update about two recently completed studies that The Yarra and Maribyrnong estuaries have a long provide further information about the Yarra and history of urban and industrial activity and it has only Maribyrnong estuaries. been in the last 30 years that industrial discharges The first study is an overarching environmental audit have been redirected to sewer. Water quality in the of the lower Maribyrnong River, lower Yarra River and rivers has improved to the extent that it is now the Stony Creek Backwash. focus of considerable community activity, including fishing and boating. The second study is a comprehensive assessment of contaminant concentrations in fish from the Yarra and Contamination of water, sediment and biota in the Maribyrnong estuaries. Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers consistent with the long history of urban and industrial activity in the This publication updates two previous EPA Victoria catchment, has previously been reported. More Publications – Fish and Eel Contamination recently the community has sought additional Investigations for the Yarra and Maribyrnong information about the suitability of fish from the lower Estuaries (Publication 1038) and Contamination reaches of these waterways, for human consumption. Investigations for the Maribyrnong River (Publication 1042). ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT BACKGROUND In November 2005 EPA appointed Dr Peter Nadebaum of GHD Pty Ltd to conduct an overarching environmental audit of the risk to the lower Maribyrnong River, lower Yarra River and Stony Creek Backwash from the industrial processes, activities and wastes on the land described as the ‘Whitehall Street Yarraville precinct’ outlined in the map below (Fig 2). The ‘Whitehall Street Yarraville precinct’ includes: • Port of Melbourne Corporation land in Yarraville and at Holden Dock; • Orica land in Yarraville; • Mobil Yarraville Terminal land; • Albright and Wilson land; and • CSR land including Sugar Australia. The audit, a statutory process pursuant to section 53V of the Environment Protection Act 1970, builds on the work EPA has required of these companies in the Yarraville area to assess and clean up contamination that may impact on the river. Figure 1: Some of the fish study catch from the Yarra and Maribyrnong estuaries RESULTS FOR CONTAMINATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE YARRA AND MARIBYRNONG ESTUARIES EPA will undertake further investigations into the contamination and potential impacts on the ecosystem, in relation to Stony Creek Backwash. This investigation will assess the nature of any impacts on the backwash ecosystem and will help inform the best way to clean up or manage this issue. Stony Creek Backwash is located at the bottom of a catchment with a long history of industrial use and contamination is not unexpected. BACKGROUND TO INVESTIGATION OF CONTAMINANTS IN FISH A Preliminary Investigation of Contaminants Within Fish (Melbourne Water and EPA Victoria, 2005) found that some eels caught in the estuary contained levels Figure 2: Segment of waters being audited (red) and of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) above the associated ‘Whitehall Street Yarraville Precinct’ land Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Maximum (blue). Residue Limit (MRL). ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT REPORT FINDINGS Based on these findings Victoria’s Department of Human Services Chief Health Officer advised that eels The findings of the environmental audit are from the Yarra and Maribyrnong estuary should not be summarised as follows: eaten more than once a month and that further investigations should be conducted. • Levels of arsenic and other metals in the river water were below levels designed to protect INVESTIGATION OF CONTAMINANTS IN FISH the environment. This confirms EPA’s earlier assessment of the impacts of these sites on In 2006 a more detailed study focusing on fish, the river. including eels, caught in the Yarra and Maribyrnong • Levels of metals in sediments from the rivers estuaries was undertaken. The aim of this study was to were typical of those expected at the bottom provide the community with information about the of a highly urbanised catchment. suitability of the fish from these rivers for eating. • Although levels of contaminants in the river Fish (see Fig 1) were caught and tested for a wide were low, there could still be localised impact range of organic contaminants and heavy metals. The from groundwater and sediment results are summarised as follows: contamination near the riverbank that needs • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were to be assessed and managed. detected in all fish tested but at levels below • The sediment in the Stony Creek backwash is the published food standards. contaminated with hydrocarbons and metals, • Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (dioxins), at levels that could pose a risk to the polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and ecosystem including foraging birds. polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) were detected at low levels in all fish tested. The EPA ACTIONS TO FOLLOW AUDIT REPORT contaminant levels detected did not require EPA will, through statutory notices, continue to additional advice on the suitability of the fish require clean up of historical contamination in the for eating, beyond that applying to the PCBs. Whitehall Street industrial precinct. • All other contaminants tested, including Issues such as use of contaminated fill to reclaim land heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, are a legacy of our industrial past, and one that needs pesticides, hydrocarbons and other to be managed carefully into the future. Clean-up of compounds were below relevant guidelines sites of this kind often take many years. and were not of concern. Further sampling of contaminated groundwater and EPA and DHS referred the results of the study to an sediments immediately adjacent to the riverbank and independent expert panel for opinion on the suitability further investigation of stormwater management by of fish from the estuaries for human consumption. the Whitehall St companies will also be undertaken. This will help EPA better understand any potential for localised impacts. 2 RESULTS FOR CONTAMINATION INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE YARRA AND MARIBYRNONG ESTUARIES Further advice regarding public health issues about eating fish from the Yarra and Maribyrnong estuaries 1 is available from the Department of Human Services Environmental Health Unit by calling 1300 761 874 or by accessing the DHS website at www.dhs.vic.gov.au All reports are available to download from EPA’s website www.epa.vic.gov.au 3 If you would like further information about these 4 2 studies please contact EPA’s Information Centre on telephone 9695 2722. 5 Figure 3: Sites where fish were caught for the 2006 comprehensive fish study. 1 Upper Maribyrnong estuary 2 Upper Yarra Estuary – Herring Island 3 Maribyrnong Estuary – Whitehall Street 4 Yarra Estuary at Docklands 5 Yarra Estuary at the Warmies – Newport EXPERT PANEL CONCLUSIONS The expert panel concluded: • The study provided a suitable basis for consumption advice due to the range of fish and contaminants studied. • Levels of chemicals, other than PCBs do not warrant further assessment or advice. • The eel consumption limit of one serve per month proposed in 2005 remains appropriate on public health grounds. • The information on PCB levels indicates it would be prudent to provide advice about limiting consumption of fish caught from the Yarra and Maribyrnong estuaries. This advice is only likely to affect those who regularly eat fish caught in the Yarra and Maribyrnong estuaries. Based on the expert panel’s report, the Chief Health Officer advised that: • While it is safe to eat fish caught from these rivers people should limit their intake to one serve a week, and to one serve per month of eel caught from rivers. • It is not uncommon for a more conservative approach to be recommended for women of child-bearing age and children and that they should limit fish consumption to one serve a month and not eat eels caught in these rivers. 3.