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Independent Monitoring Committee (IMC) Reports
The IMC has prepared reports or provided verbal feedback on the following topics:
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Review Risk Assessment Conducted for Mercury Contamination Associated with Former ChlorAlkali Plant
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Review the Human Health & Environmental Risk Assessment (HHERA) conducted for the soil and groundwater mercury contamination associated with the former ChlorAlkali plant (FCAP) operation
Orica proposes to remediate the soil mercury contamination associated with the FCAP in winter 2010. The Community Liaison Committee asked for a review of the HHERA conducted in 2008, which fed into the soil remediation plans.
(N.B. - This task was beyond the scope of IMC)
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10 June 2010
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Author |
Prof Priestly
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Report
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Report 
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247 KB |
Potential Health Risks Associated with DEAC Waste Treatment
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Review DEAC Waste Treatment at GTP by Orica in Nov 08 and Assess Any Human Health Risks
Orica advised the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) of the intention to treat diethyl aluminium chloride (DEAC) waste at the GTP in October 2008. DECC approved treatment of the waste subject to conditions. The community was informed of the waste activity whilst it was underway in November. Orica received strong feedback from some CLC members who were angry that they had not been advised of the waste treatment in advance. This matter was raised again at the June 2009 CLC meeting with some CLC members concerned that the waste treatment may have caused harm to people living and working in the area. It was agreed at the June 2009 CLC meeting that Prof Priestly be asked to review the information surrounding treatment of the waste and provide comment back to the CLC in response to the concerns raised.
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Date
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7/9/09
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Author
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Prof Priestly
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Report
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Report
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127 KB
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Evaluation of Current Monitoring Programs Conducted at the GTP
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Evaluate monitorings conducted at the GTP
Following on request to evaluate existing monitoring programs conducted by Orica to date (Task 15), Dr McCracken recommended to conduct an analysis of inputs and outputs from the GTP by looking at other monitorings conducted by Orica under its Environment Protection Licence, Trade Waste Service Agrrement and Ammonia Pollution Reduction Program for the GTP to provide any recommendations for further monitorings.
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Date
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26/2/08
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Author
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Dr McCraken
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Report
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Progress report
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265 KB
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Review of Dr McCraken's Review of Monitorings Conducted at the GTP
The Community Liaison Committee asked the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) to review recommendations given by Dr McCracken on his progress report on the evaluation of current monitoring programs at the GTP (Dr McCracken's report is available in the box below)
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Date
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12/9/08
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Author
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DECC
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Letter
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DECC response
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1.1 MB
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Orica's Response to DECC's Recommendations Based on Dr McCracken's Review & Reply from DECC on the Scans Conducted
Following DECC's review of Dr McCracken recommendations, the DECC requested Orica to conduct analysis on semi-volatile compounds (SVOCs) in groundwater feed to the GTP and treated water discharged to Perry Street Canal. Orica conducted analysis in late 2008, which showed that while low concentrations of SVOCs are present in the feedwater to the GTP, there were no detections above the relevant ANZECC Trigger Values in treated water discharged from the GTP.
DECC provided its response acknowledging the work. Following these correspondences, the Community Liaison Committee was satisfied with the works conducted and requested no further action on the matter.
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Date
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9/4/09 & 28/4/09 (respectively)
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Authors
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Orica & DECC (respectively)
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Letter
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Report on SVOCs scans & DECC response |
453 KB
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Potential Health Risks Associated with Washing Fish at Penrhyn Estuary
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Advise on any potential health risks associated with washing fish at Penrhyn Estuary
Community members have frequently seen anglers washing their catch at Penrhyn Estuary despite warning signs about water contamination in the area and potential risks of wading in the water.
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Date
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26/10/07
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Authors
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Prof Priestly
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Report
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Report
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78 KB
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Comment on Orica Groundwater Injection & Recovery System (GIRS)Proposal
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Comment in principle on Orica Groundwater Injection & Recovery (GIRS) proposal
GIRS is a proposed contingency plan for back-up hydraulic containment during the unlikely event of a long-term shutdown of the Groundwater Treatment Plant. It would involve groundwater from the Secondary Containment Area at Foreshore Road being extracted and reinjected at the Botany Industrial Park. For further details, refer to Orica presentation to Community Liaison Committee (CLC) given on 18 September 2007.
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Date
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26/10/07
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Authors
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Prof Acworth
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Feedback
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Prof Acworth provided a verbal feedback at the October 2007 combined CLC & IMC meeting. He advised that he does not see any hydrological problem with the GIRS proposal. He said that the proposal makes practical sense and indicated that the community should not be concerned by the reinjection of contaminated groundwater at the BIP. He expressed caution that reinjection may be compromised after periods of prolonged heavy rainfall when aquifer recharge is high as the higher water table would reduce the effective storage capacity of the aquifer.
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Evaluation of Existing Monitoring Programs
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Advise on current air and groundwater monitoring programs:
Comment if, in their opinion and in accordance to their area of expertise, there are any aspects of the existing air and water monitoring programs reported in the quarterly Orica Progress Report that are not needed, or if there is any additional monitoring that would be beneficial going forward.
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Date
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Sep - Oct 07
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Authors
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Dr Clunies-Ross, Dr Hibberd and Prof Acworth
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Feedback
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Dr Mark Hibberd's feedback on dioxin monitoring
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28 KB
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| Dr Clunies-Ross feedback: |
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Dioxin monitoring & Thermal Oxidiser reduced temperature trial (26/9/07) |
75 KB |
| Dioxin monitoring (7/9/07) |
80 KB |
| Prof Acworth provided a verbal feedback, which was noted at a CLC meeting held on 18 September 2007: |
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As previously raised, Prof Acworth has two concerns regarding existing groundwater monitoring programs. They are:
- The need for better groundwater level data at the north of the groundwater model area; and,
- The need for additional chemical data south (downgradient) of the Secondary Containment Area.
Prof Acworth noted that additional data loggers have been installed in response to the first point (but that the data is not yet available) and that Orica is considering the potential for capturing more data south of the SCA in response to his second point. Prof Acworth had asked the CLC to be advised that he has no further comment on the adequacy of monitoring until feedback on these matters is received.
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| Prof Priestly provided a verbal feedback at the October 2007 combined CLC & IMC meeting and explained that, in his opinion, there is no need to extend any human health risk assessment monitoring for the Botany Groundwater Cleanup Project. |
Investigating Dioxin Formation at the GTP
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Dioxin formation investigation
(For details, refer to the scoping paper on table below)
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Date
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2007 & 2008
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Authors
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Dr Hibberd and Dr Clunies-Ross
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Reports
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Final Report (19/5/08)
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96 KB
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Progress update (7/9/07)
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80 KB |
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Examining benefits and costs of developing a research project on dioxin formation at the GTP:
Established scope, costs and benefits of a project to investigate the formation of dioxin at the GTP for review by CLC
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Date
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12/06/07
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Authors
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Dr Clunies-Ross and Dr Hibberd
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Report
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Scope paper on a dioxin formation research project
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25 KB
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Groundwater Monitoring South of the Secondary Containment Area (SCA)
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Discussion regarding groundwater monitoring south of the SCA:
A meeting record between Orica, CLC representative, Orica's consultant, NSW DECC and Prof Ian Acworth to discuss additional groundwater monitoring south of the SCA with points and actions agreed for review by the CLC
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Date
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18/07/07
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Author
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Orica
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Report
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Summary report on discussion
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20 KB
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Expert Views on Orica's Progress & Matters that Need to be Further Addressed
A Review - Effects of Historical Groundwater Abstraction
Groundwater Modelling / Monitoring and Saline Intrusion
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Saline Intrusion:
- Potential for salt water intrusion at the Secondary Containment Line (SCL)
- Comment on how the SCL has been designed and operated to minimise salt water intrusion
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Date
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29/8/06
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Author
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Prof Acworth
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Reports
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Potential salt water intrusion
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142KB
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Dioxin and Human Risk
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Dioxin Monitoring:
- Types of dioxins that have been detected in emissions from the Groundwater Treatment Plant (GTP) stack
- Level of accuracy for the dioxin sampling and analysis
- Reason behind the long-time cap for dioxin monitoring results to be available
- Recommendations to improve the monitoring of dioxins or surrogates (such as temperature) at the GTP
- Advice on how sampling and analysis can be undertaken by the various labs in order to provide the community with confidence in the results in the long-term
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Date
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4/6/06
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Author
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Dr Clunies-Ross
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Reports
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Dioxin monitoring
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53KB
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Human Health Risks:
A paper on independent perspective on the incremental health risks associated with the reported dioxin emissions from the GTP compared with other potential dioxin sources in the local Botany community
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Date
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26/10/06
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Author
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Prof Priestly
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Reports
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Dioxin toxicity summary
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40KB
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Dioxins and Human Health Risks:
A paper on the ground level concentrations of dioxins that would result from the concentrations detected at the GTP stack and the resulting human health risk. It includes comments on how ground level concentrations and health risks would vary at distances from the GTP site.
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Date
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30/8/06
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Authors
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Prof Priestly and Dr Hibberd
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Reports
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Dioxin & human health
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88KB
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