Human Health Risk Assessment Reports
Consolidated Human Health Risk Assessment
The human health risk assessment (HHRA) has been undertaken to provide an overall review of human risk issues in areas surrounding the Botany Industrial Park (BIP).
The HHRA has been undertaken in accordance with guidelines established by the Commonwealth Government (enHealth and the National Environment Protection Council) which are recognised by the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW). In addition, the HHRA has been reviewed by the then Deparment of Environment and Climate Change (now DECCW), NSW Department of Health (NSW Health) and the independent reviewer selected by the DECCW, Professor Brian Priestly, then the Director of the Australian Centre for Human Health Risk Assessment at Monash University (Prof Priestly also serves as an auxiliary member to the Independent Monitoring Committee).
The toxicity data, exposure scenarios, exposure assumptions and models used in this assessment have been agreed with DECCW, NSW Health and Professor Priestly. The risks to human health have been calculated following a methodology that is representative of best industry practice in accordance with both Australian and international guidance.
The assessment of risk in areas surrounding the BIP has focused on four key exposure areas:
- Western Margin of the Northern Plumes - this area includes residential areas and schools (currently within the Groundwater Extraction Exclusion Area) above the identified groundwater plumes that have the potential to extract and utilise groundwater for backyard and irrigation purposes
- Main Plumes - this area includes all industrial/commercial and recreational (Botany Golf Course) areas that are located about the Southern, Central and Northern Plumes
- Penrhyn Estuary - this area includes recreational use of the inner (old boat ramp and mouths of Springvale and Floodvale Drains) and outer (new boat ramp, jetty and beach areas) estuaries
- HCB Soil Encapsulation (known as Car Park Waste Encapsulation) at the north-eastern corner of the BIP
The risks associated with potential exposure to Orica related chemicals in these areas have been quantified using:
- reasonable maximum exposure assumptions relevant to the activities that people undertake in those areas (i.e. work, live, play golf, fish, swim, etc.); and
- data collected from areas that are representative of reasonable maximum concentrations of the site-related chemicals in groundwater, fruit and vegetable crops, air, surface water, fish and oysters, sediment and soils, where appropriate.
The results of the risk assessment are provided in the Consolidated HHRA Report below. A summary chart of the risk assessment results can also be found in the Community Liaison Committee Newsletter No. 19  (226 KB).
Vapour Emission Sampling
Springvale Drain
Exell Street, Banksmeadow
Botany Golf Course, Banksmeadow
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