Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053:body:0:p30
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00053
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 75573–78626

north eastern corner of the site where chlorinated solvents were used and stored;
      + Grit blast wastes containing heavy metals that remain on the surface of the southern apron and in the power house/ coal bunker area;
  * Leakage of chemicals or fuels from above and below ground storage tanks, pits and associated pipe work;
  * Atmospheric fallout from operations that may have impacted the exposed near-surface soils across the site, such as from the boiler house chimney, incinerator, furnace stacks etc. Atmospheric fallout is likely to have been responsible for contamination of the grassed areas of the plateau, where there were no recorded industrial operations;
  * Leakage, outflows and accumulation of contaminated sediments and wastes in the sewerage and stormwater systems, including disused septic tanks;
  * Discharge to soils from hazardous building materials, including lead based paints, asbestos sheeting and lagging, PCB electrical fittings and coal tar based bitumen pavements;
  * Pesticide/ herbicide treatments for control of rodents and weeds;
  * Contamination associated with special processes, such as the X-Ray laboratory, weapons stores etc, and;
  * Migration of contaminants into the Docks and sediments in surrounding waterways.
The main contaminants of concern in soils and fill were considered to be metals and metalloids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organotin compounds and asbestos. However, other contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons, cyanides, solvent chemicals or polychlorinated bi-phenyl compounds were also identified as potentially occurring in localised areas.
Figure 24: Environmental Considerations
In 2004 the Harbour Trust commissioned HLA Envirosciences to conduct the following soil assessments to address information deficiencies identified by the auditor:
  * Supplementary soil assessment of the plateau area, and
  * An asbestos in soils survey covering the island
The supplementary assessment of the plateau area was carried out so that remediation requirements could be defined, particularly with respect to PAHs and depth of contamination. This assessment confirmed that metals (mainly lead) and PAHs exceeded the relevant health-based criteria for the uses proposed for this part of Cockatoo Island, and therefore remediation would be required.
The asbestos in soils survey was carried out to map the distribution of asbestos based materials within surface soils, which had not been adequately addressed in previous assessments. Asbestos materials were observed and detected in various areas, mainly on the Northern Apron, Southern Apron and Plateau. All visible bonded asbestos fragments identified by this assessment were removed by hand in February 2005, although some individual fibres remained. Remaining asbestos fibres were not considered to present a significant risk to users of the site as long as the soils in these areas are stable and remain undisturbed. This has been achieved in the short term in the plateau area by laying down temporary clean surface cover in