PERTH WATERFRONT
PROJECT — CONTAMINATION TESTING
538. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the
Minister for Planning:
I refer to the proposed Perth Waterfront development.
(1) How many
test bores in total have been put down across The Esplanade?
(2) What types
and levels of contamination were found?
(3) Will the
minister table the test results?
(4) If no to (3),
why not?
(5) How much
asbestos was found and from what source?
(6) What was the
cost of the removal of the asbestos and where was it taken?
(7) What other
contamination testing is proposed?
Hon
HELEN MORTON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1) A total of
50 sites were investigated for contamination across The Esplanade.
(2) Contaminants
present at the site include metal contamination, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons—for example, heavy fuel oils—and hydrocarbons
around a disused existing fuel tank. The levels are generally below that which
would require remediation. Those areas of the site where concentrations are
more elevated are currently subject to removal. The disposal of impacted soils
will be through landfill. This process is being completed under the supervision
of the appointed contaminated sites auditor and the Department of Environment
and Conservation.
(3) No.
(4) This is an
operational document that is not required to be tabled.
(5) During
extensive investigations already completed in the development area, no asbestos
has been detected in soils on the Swan River foreshore. Asbestos-containing
material has been identified within the existing buildings on The Esplanade and
in sediments from the Swan River. Material containing traces of asbestos is
being removed, handled and disposed of by qualified asbestos-removal personnel
in accordance with accepted industry standards.
(6) These
works are part of the $440 million budgeted for the project and approved by
cabinet in 2010. The asbestos material removed from the buildings was taken to
a licensed landfill facility.
(7) Ongoing
contamination testing is occurring during the removal of identified
contamination pockets on The Esplanade. The testing is undertaken to confirm
that the site remediation achieves the site clean-up targets defined in the
site management plan.
The PRESIDENT: Members, with the microphones and
amplification, I request that members do not shield the microphone from their
voice with sheets of paper. If you can just hold your papers to one side, that
may improve the amplification to some extent.
Hon Ken Travers: Does that apply to me?
The PRESIDENT: Not in all cases, but some.