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Case Study: Contaminated sites
IPLS’ Environmental Branch spent $4.2 million investigating or managing contaminated sites (including asbestos management) in 2013-14, and has an approved budget of $15.7 million for this task in future years.
The expenditure is a response to the PTA’s obligations under the Contaminated Sites Act 2003, which requires us to report known and suspected contaminated sites to the Department of Environment Regulation, which classifies the condition of the site. Classifications that require further action (from monitoring to clean up) include “possibly contaminated – investigation required” or “contaminated – remediation required.”
The act applies to land controlled by the PTA for the suburban public transport network (buses and trains), and residual land that has been excluded from the leased freight corridor.
This latter category includes a number of former steam and diesel locomotive depots that are contaminated with asbestos, coal dust, heavy metals, fuel and lubrication products. The possibility that these contaminants may enter the water table and leach into adjacent land and the general environment must be addressed
A total of 94 PTA-controlled sites have been reported to the DER. Of these, 37 are classified by the DER as “possibly contaminated – investigation required” and 15 are classified as “contaminated – remediation required.”
During the year under review, the PTA conducted investigations, remediation or monitoring at 36 sites, including construction sites for the Perth City Link Rail and Bus projects and the new Perth Stadium Transport Infrastructure project.
Key achievements included reclassification of the Beehive Montessori School land to allow further development, and completion of investigations and remediation at Kewdale Freight Terminal.
