ALGA ARCHIVED STATE FORUM PAPERS |
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Content Disclaimer - While we make every effort to ensure that the material on this site is accurate when published, you should exercise your own independent skill and judgment before you rely on it. In any important matter, you should seek professional advice relevant to your own circumstances. The papers presented at our forums, by persons representing their organisation made available on this website, does not imply any form of endorsement by ALGA of the products or services provided by that person or organisation.
Please note material on this site includes views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of ALGA, or indicate its commitment to particular course of actions. ALGA cannot verify the accuracy of information that has been provided by third parties. |
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Topic |
Description | Speakers |
| This forum provided a good opportunity for frank discussion with views from a regulator, developer, industry/treatment company, environmental consultants and university researcher. Upcoming potential changes to WA guidance were also unveiled. | Steve Wong, DEC; Darren Walsh, Satterly Property Group; and Noel Davies on behalf of Rob Sippe, Eclipse Resources. |
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| Advances in Remediation Technologies and Measuring Sustainability (Vic) | James Fairweather, Orica Australia Pty Ltd; Luke Cattlin, Tonkin & Taylor; Michael Charge, Senversa and David Lam, Coffey Environments | |
| Advances in Soil Treatment Technologies (SA) | A number of practitioners spoke on commonly used and emerging treatment options including bioremediation, stabilisation and in-situ and ex-situ thermal treatment. | Andy Ball, Flinders University; Dr Ben Dearman, remediate and Dr John Hunt, Thiess Services Pty Ltd |
| Alternative Remediation Techniques to 'Dig and Dump' -Thermal Desorption/Destruction and Soil washing (NSW, SA, Qld & WA) | The management of contaminated soil and groundwater is becoming more important and more closely scrutinised as the public awareness of the issue increases. One of the major policy areas that needs to be resolved is the selection of remedial actions used in the management of contaminated land. Consistent with the principles of the EPA’s document titled “Guidance Statement for Remediation Hierarchy for Contaminated Land”, contaminated material should be preferably treated on-site (or off-site) and the contaminants reduced to acceptable levels. The current practice of disposing contaminated material to landfill is not sustainable and there is an increasing realization that alternative remediation techniques need to be evaluated. The forum explored three proven low and high cost remediation techniques which have been widely applied for at least a decade or more in North America and Europe, but which have been rarely used in Australia. They included Insitu thermal desorption (steam injection, resistive heating and conductive heating), soil washing and ex-situ thermal desorption (including batch and continuous plants). The presentations also included a discussion of the applicability and limitations of each technology, their advantages and disadvantages, sustainability considerations and costs and time frames. In the right circumstances these technologies will provide new and effective approaches and changes in contaminated site management. A representative of the Department of Environment and Conservation joined the panel discussion to address regulatory requirements for the implementation of new technologies |
Dr Dave Tully, Coffey Environments, Emma Walsh, CH2M Hill and Dr John Hunt, Thiess Services + Kerry Laszig, DEC on the panel |
| Assignment of Responsiblity for Remediation as per the Contaminated Sites Act 2003 (WA) | Sharon Clark, Landcorp and Jim Malcolm, Government of WA, Contaminated Sites Committee | |
| Brownfield Development, Contaminated Land & the Planning System in NSW | The Managing Land Contamination Planning Guidelines and SEPP 55 Remediation of Land were reviewed, asking:What are the shortcomings of the present planning system as it relates to contaminated land? Does the system lead to good outcomes in a timely and cost effective manner? Can the process be made more effective? Planning authority’s acceptance of contaminated land consultants and auditors? Community expectations and acceptance? Does the planning system work the same in regional areas and urban areas? If different, what are the lessons to be learned from the way it is implemented in different environments? Is the current planning system sustainable? Is there enough knowledge and awareness within consent authorities to effectively implement the planning guidelines and SEPP55? Are additional training opportunities required within the planning community? If so what form should these take? Environmental management plans do they really work within the planning system framework? | Chairperson: Stephen Bargwanna, AECOM Speakers: Harshane Kahagalle, HDY; Scott Jefferies, AECOM; and Ian Swane, SKM |
| Community Consultation. Too little? Too much? Too late? (WA) |
Five years on, there is still a reluctance on the part of some companies/individuals to fully integrate community consultation early into the project. But how much community consultation is warranted? Is there too much consultation or not enough? | Glen McLeod of Minter Ellison, Ben McCarthy of LandCorp and Andrew Watt of Creating Communities |
| Community Consultation – Why, When and How? (VIC) | For professionals and companies involved in the assessment, remediation and management of contaminated sites, understanding of the role of community consultation is of real benefit. This forum explored the issues & benefits surrounding community consultation. | Alistair Nairn, EPA and Catherine Fletcher, Thiess Services |
| Contaminated Land & Government Entities: Assisting Your Government Clients (NSW) | Presentation regarding the legal and government agency perspectives on how consultants can best assist their public sector clients in relation to their particular exposures and contaminated land risks. | Liz Wild, Henry Davis York and Luke Speechley, RailCorp |
| Contaminated land regulation in NSW |
Responsibility for the regulation of contaminated land in NSW is shared by a number of state and local Government agencies administering the relevant legislative framework. This framework consists mainly of the Contaminated Land Management Act, the Protection of the Environment Operations Act, and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. The seminar took a closer look at the framework and discusses the relationships between its parts. From a service station that undergoes refurbishment to a brownfield site undergoing redevelopment, understanding the interplay of relevant environmental legislation and the agencies administering that legislation is important for all stakeholders. The seminar also highlighted the responsibilities for the management of contaminated land in NSW, and provided examples of significant remediation projects. | Niall Johnston - (Manager Contaminated Sites – OEH) Robert Verhey - Strategy Manager Environment Stephanie Yu - Acting Manager Special Projects – OEH Erwin Benker – Head Metro Contaminated Sites – OEH |
| Contaminated Land Act (NSW & SA) | The significant amendments to the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997 was the focus of the second NSW ALGA forum. The amendments are the most significant since the introduction of the Act in 1997. These changes could impact on a large range of stakeholders. The recent site contamination amendments to the Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA) was the focus of the second SA ALGA forum. The amendments commenced on 1 July 2009 after more than a decade of uncertainty surrounding liability for site contamination. |
Carlo Zoppo, Sparke Helmore (Newcastle); Liz Wild, Henry Davis York Lawyers; Lance Robert, ERM; Niall Johnston, DECCW; Steve Corish, Orica Australia Pty Ltd (NSW-Syd); Judith Bradsen, Minter Ellison Lawyers and Andrew Pruszinski, EPA SA (SA) |
| CRC Care Achievements & Plans for the Future: Supporting the Remediation Industry in Australia (NSW) | Ravi Naidu, CRC Care and James Stenning, Orica Australia | |
| Disclosure of Information in Contaminated Land Transactions (NSW) | Contaminated land is a major issue for developers and land owners in New South Wales, particularly as land scarcity in Sydney leads to the redevelopment of former industrial sites. Allocating responsibility for the clean-up of contaminated sites is a key concern for vendors (who may have caused the contamination) and purchasers (who may inherit the problem). The seminar will draw a number of lessons from recent Court decisions that are designed to assist vendors and purchasers of contaminated land. These include: · the role of accredited site auditors in the due diligence process · representations by silence and what constitutes a reasonable expectation of disclosure · reliance on environmental reports and how to avoid unintended representations · having clear contractual terms that allocate responsibility for remediation · the importance of delineating the scope of work when engaging environmental consultants, and · guidance on the duty to report contaminated land. |
Charmian Barton, |
| EcoForum 2011 Pre-conference Workshops - Sustainable Remediation - ISCO and ISCR - Soil Washing - In-situ thermal techniques |
ALGA's 4th Annual Conference | Varous |
| Hazardous Waste - what is new in SA? |
This forum revolved around requirements for the classification of contaminated waste soil for disposal to landfill and the requirements and methodologies for pre-treatment and disposal of Hazardous Waste Soil, (i.e. soil with concentrations of chemical substances exceeding Low-level Contaminated Waste Criteria). | Andrew Manning (SA EPA) Simon Spencer (Integrated Waste Services) Geoffrey Webster and Lachlan Reeks (Transpacific Industries) |
| Groundwater Assessment & Treatment (SA) | ALGA SA Forum 4 discussed groundwater assessment and treatment in SA including how the concept of “remediation to the extent necessary (RTEN)” is applied. | Mark Chapman, URS Australia Pty Ltd and Andrew Pruszinski, EPA SA (SA) |
| Groundwater CleanUp (Vic) |
Following on from our initial forum on Sustainable Remediation, a second panel type discussion forum was held to debate the issue of groundwater clean up – regulatory policy direction and implications for the future. | Luke Cattlin, Noel Arnold & Associates; Mark Beaufoy, DLA Phillips Fox and Peter Oxnam, The Shell Company of Australia Pty Ltd |
| Groundwater Remediation (NSW) | What is the current situation in NSW. It was followed by a panel discussion including representatives from the DECCW, affected landowners, remediation contractors and consultants. | Chris Jewell, CM Jewell & Associates Pty Ltd |
| Groundwater Remediation Technology Application (Vic) | If you missed EcoForum, these 3 talks focus on groundwater remediation case studies in Victoria, in particular remediation of LMAPL and recalcitrant compounds in a fractured rock aquifer. | Cain Horsington, Environmental Earth Sciences; Richard Campbell, HydroTerra and Gary Smith, URS Australia |
| How are the Labs Handling the New NEPM Requirements and what will that mean for the Consultants? (VIC) | Presentation from each of the labs to present issues related to the new NEPM requirements and how they are handling these requirements within each of their laboratories. |
Matthew Deaves, SGS Environmental Services; Geoff Le Cornu, ALS Laboratory Group; and Sefton McGraw, mgt LabMark. |
| Improving the Audit System (Vic) | Summary of EPA guidance relating to conditions on audit statements. | Greg Tobin, DLA Phillips Fox; Wayne Drew, Chadwick T&T Pty Ltd; Ken Mival, URS Australia Pty Ltd and Ian McKenzie, Beveridge Williams |
| Insurance (NSW) | Insurance in the world of remediation includes public liability and professional indemnity insurance and they aren’t going anywhere, if anything clients and companies we work for are asking for higher and higher levels of insurance. Gone are the days that a level of $2 million PI will suffice, these days it’s in the order of tens of millions. This forum covered the many different aspects of insurance starting with why do we need it?, to what kind of products are out there, their shorting comings, their advantages, to how does insurance work in the “real world”. |
Liz Wild, HDY; Anthony Saunders, Envirosure; Justin Taylor, Thiess. |
| Issues surrounding the draft revision to the NEPM (the NEPM Variation)(Vic) | The idea was to have the opportunity to discuss the "issues" that the draft NEPM raises, so that we can be aware of them. While there have been submissions prepared, do we appreciate all of the implications of the revised NEPM assuming it comes to pass, as it probably will? The forum is looking to educate ourselves of the issues that we should be aware of. | Dr Peter Nadebaum, GHD Pty Ltd |
| Landfill Gas and Houses - how close is too close (SA) | Judith Bradsen, Minter Ellison Lawyers and Amanda Lewis, Aurecon | |
| Legal and regulatory implications for current contaminated land management practice in New Zealand (NZ) |
The theme of this forum was focused around regulatory and legal aspects of contaminated land management at a national level, and including the formation of the new Auckland Council. The panel discussed the specific legal, operational and regulatory issues associated with the assessment, remediation and redevelopment of contaminated land in the Auckland region and throughout New Zealand. |
Andrew Beatson, Partner, Bell Gully, Wellington; Marcus Herrmann Acting Manager - Land and Water, Auckland Council; and David le Marquand – Director, Burton Consultants, Auckland. |
| Methane - not just a Landfill Gas (NSW) | The massive post-closure problems experienced at the Cranbourne landfill in Victoria, and the somewhat smaller-scale issues at a chicken-litter landfill on the NSW Central Coast, picked up by Stateline last year, have highlighted the dangers posed by methane in landfill gas to new buildings near old landfills. However, landfills are not the only potential sources of methane. Methane may also migrate from abandoned mines, oilfield infrastructure, sewers, filled swampland and deep geological sources. | Matt Uttley, Golder Associates and Stuart Cassie, Worley Parsons |
| Planning & Contaminated Land (VPELA) | Mark Beaufoy, DLA Phillips Fox; Stuart McConnell, EPA Vic and Phil Sinclair, Coffey Environment Pty Ltd | |
| Planning and remediation or remediation and planning: Is my project a major project? (NSW) | Mark Burns,Lend Lease; Harvey Sanders, Design Collaborative; and Kylie Lloyd, WSP. | |
| Post Closure Site Management/Monitoring (Vic) | Mark Beaufoy, DLA Phillips Fox; Phil Sinclair, Coffey Environments Pty Ltd; Rob Taber, Villawood Properties; Michael Caldwell, EPA Vic and Michael Sharp, Hume City Council | |
| Practical Remediation & Landfill Disposal (Vic) | At this session a panel forum discussed and debated the following issues: • Has the increased landfill levy lead to innovation in onsite or offsite treatment and a reduction in dig and dump? • What did we learn from Clean Up 09? • What remediation technologies are being practised or are at the pre approvals stage for Victoria? • Beneficial Reuse of soils, what is the state of play? |
Peter Nadebaum, GHD Pty Ltd; Dr John Hunt, Thiess Services Pty Ltd and Sean Shields, EPA Vic |
| Recent Legislative Changes and their Impact on the Service Station Industry (NSW) | In 2009 the New South Wales Government enacted significant amendments to the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997, Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2002 and Protection of the Environment Operations (Underground Petroleum Storage Systems) Regulation 2008. Service station owners and operators face increased obligations and liabilities in respect their operations some of which apply currently and some which are due to come into effect shortly. At this forum we heard from industry operators, legal professionals and the regulators as to the impact of these changes | Adam Speers, The Shell Company of Australia and Andrew Cameron, The Shell Company of Australia |
| Sediment Remediation (NSW) | What is the history of sediment remediation in the US and likely future policy directions there. | John Coffey, DECCW; Dr Ian Swane, Sinclair Knight Merz and Justin Taylor, Thiess Services Pty Ltd |
| Site Contamination Audit System - 18 months in (SA) | Wendy Boyce and Greg Hill, EPA (SA) and Andrian Webber, Soil and Groundwater Consulting | |
| Site Management Plans - Do they work? (NSW) | Liz Wild, Henry Davis York | |
| Soil and waste treatment facilities in Melbourne– where are we at? | With the introduction of the levy for Prescribed Industrial Waste in 2007 and the State Government objective for an end to the landfill disposal of higher hazard wastes by 2020, there is a pressing need for the establishment of contaminated soil/waste treatment facilities in the Melbourne metropolitan area. A number of these facilities are currently in various stages of progress. Renex, SITA and Veolia discussed their projects, and what can be expected once they open. | Matt Stanelos - Veolia Environmental Services; Peter Mirkov - Renex Group and Lil Hudson - SITA Environmental Solutions |
| Sustainability and Remediation (NSW) | The term sustainability has probably become one of the buzz words of modern society and has crept into our language. Borrowing from SuRF, sustainable remediation is the practice of demonstrating, in terms of environmental, economic and social indicators, that an acceptable balance exists between the effects of undertaking remediation activities and the benefits that those activities deliver. But what does sustainable remediation mean to you? |
Garry Smith (AECOM), Alex Pulkownik (UTS) and Jon Miller (The Remediation Group) |
| Sustainable Remediation Metrics - The State of Play (NSW & SA) | Dom Dowling, WorleyParsons; Andrew Howes, Golder Associates Pty Ltd and Dr John Hunt, Thiess Services Pty Ltd (NSW); Peter Nadebaum, GHD Pty Ltd (SA) | |
The Green & Sustainable Remediation Workshops |
These workshops provided participants with practical strategies and tools for maximizing the environmental benefits and minimizing the collateral impacts that their cleanup works may have in the environmental, social, and economic spheres. The workshops covered the fundamental concepts and principles of sustainability, and the frameworks, guidelines, and standards internationally and within ANZ for conducting environmental remediation works in a more sustainable way. | John Claypool, a senior environmental professional and one of the GSR leaders with AECOM US. |
| The WA Audit process - how is it working? Can it be improved? (WA) | The Contaminated Sites Auditor Scheme has been operating for nearly 3.5 years in WA therefore is past the stage of being new and untested. The formal 5 year review of the Contaminated Sites Act of 2003 including Auditor Scheme is due to commence in December 2011. This forum provided a great opportunity for industry members to express their views on areas that are working well and areas for improvement of the WA Contaminated Sites Auditor Scheme. | Glen McLeod, Minter Ellison; Andrew Miller, Dept of Env & Conservation and Jeremy Hogben, ERM |
| Waste Derived Fill - Is it all too hard? (SA) | The EPA Standard for the production and use of Waste Derived Fill has now been in place for over 12 months. The presentations will be followed by an open discussion which will be a great opportunity to share your views on this topic. |
Amanda Lewis, Aurecon; Catherine Gray / Verilee Evans, DTEI; Jarrod Bishop, LBW Environment; Dick Sander, Hallett Resources |
