Trigger: regulated site or redevelopment of site (planning approval process). Assessment of historical activity determines if contamination is likely. Contamination classified based on concentrations of contaminants and exposure pathways. Accredited auditor approves remediation plan or site suitability for use. Soil becomes waste on leaving site. Tracked from site to destination – online tracking system, information entered as they go. Movement by licenced waste transporter. Consignment authorisation required from receivers before moving. High level waste must be treated before landfilling; treatment onsite or interstate. Receiving facility must be licensed for appropriate classification of contamination. Automatic exception reporting flags inconsistencies through online tracking. Waste levies apply to landfill. Quantities reported for movements and arrival at receivers. Quantities of soil treated or stored on site available through approvals and auditing. Process; not reported or tracked so not currently available. Table 5 Tracking and approval process summary for New South Wales Data The Waste Data Unit of the NSW EPA provided data for the quantities of contaminated soil handled by landfill facilities . Data on Contaminated soil is as categorised in the Section 88 monthly or annual returns required by landfills to submit to the EPA. Separate figures are given for each of tonnes received at the gate, tonnes transported from the facility for further recycling or disposal, and tonnes disposed at the facility. The figures used for the baseline summary is the total disposed, thereby discounting the quantity transported. The NSW EPA that sometimes asbestos contaminated soil is disposed under the material classification of "Asbestos" waste, a category which is not addressed in this report. FY Total received Total transported Total disposed 2008-2009 641,115 17 641,098 2009-2010 442,008 - 442,008 2010-2011 506,005 16 505,989 2011-2012 620,116 - 620,116 2012-2013 555,299 - 555,299 Table 6 Annual reporting by landfill facilities of contaminated soil in NSW. (Source: ()) Figure 4 Annual reporting by landfill facilities of contaminated soil in NSW (Source:())
Site Movements Fate Measurement Public register of potentially contaminated sites. Change of use development triggers audit system, driven by planning system requiring site history to assess contamination potential. Formal required. Site contamination auditor deems the material fit for purpose and receiving sites being fit for purpose, fit for receipt. Soil becomes waste upon leaving site. Consultant or auditor approves off-site movements in the first instance. Incoming interstate movements are notified in advance by generating jurisdiction to ensure receiving facility is suitably licensed and can accept material before SA EPA issues approval and consignment authorisation number. Quantity is validated by receiving facility. Waste transport certificates track movements from generating facility, to transporter to receiving facility, including interstate imports. High-level waste must be treated before landfilling. Receiving facility must be licensed for appropriate classification of contamination. levies apply to waste received for the purpose of disposal. Volume can be gauged during in-situ assessment, before excavation. All movements, including those internal to a landfill, tracked for volumetric survey of disposal (mass balance). Movements are tracked, raising possibility of some double counting if there is an intermediate stop for treatment. Measurement also possible at point of disposal; does not include any treated for reuse. Waste leaving SA is not tracked; responsibility of jurisdiction receiving material. Compliance work between states to balance quantities. Table 13 Tracking and approval process summary for South Australia Data Australia’s tracking system is continuous between generator, transporter and receiver and allows for quantities to be validated, suggesting reliability of the figures reported. The total figures may be inflated by the inclusion of waste derived fill quantities disposed to the three unlicensed facilities because they can be characterised as “reuse” which is outside the defined scope for this baseline. Additionally, equivalent figures for reuse are not necessarily available for other jurisdictions.
When is soil waste tracked? As there is no tracking system or approval process, listed waste contaminated soil is tracked as soon as an “authorised officer” () requests an inspection of the record. Waste Management and Pollution Control Act Part 12 Division 4 Regulation, 117 (2)(b): “provide for the implementation of a system to track the movement of waste, or a class of waste, from the place at which it is generated to the place at which it is disposed of;” (). Site Movements Fate Measurement Database of contaminated Integrated land information system database has confirmed and suspected contaminated sites. Trigger: planning applications for work on site, or Pollution Abatement Notices (PANS). Accredited auditor approves remediation plan or site suitability for use. Movement by licenced handler, to a designated facility. Handlers report annually but it is not tracked or thoroughly audited. Receiving facility must be licensed and must report activity. Quantification possible through waste levy billing data. Table 21 Tracking and approval process summary Data The data represents the amount measured at disposal at the only licensed disposal facility, Bay. It was collected for the purposes of applying the waste levy. The data does not capture on site treatment or reuse. Given that the quantities were collected for financial purposes it can be expected that they are a reasonably reliable account of the material that reaches the facility. As mentioned in Section 4.7.1, a rapid increase in redevelopment of old industrial sites for residential purposes, together with improvements in reporting and control, explain the large increase in the recent years, which is clearly evident in Table 22. Year Volume reported to NT EPA (tonnes) 2008-2009 Only reported by population serviced 2009-2010 Only reported by population serviced
Jurisdiction Category Sub category Where is the data measured What is excluded Data reliability H/M/L NSW Contaminated soil general solid (non-putrescible) general (putrescible) restricted solid hazardous Movement to or from a landfill facility Some asbestos contaminated Soil handled by facilities used solely for the purposes of re-using, recovering, recycling or processing waste (Section 88 of the Act) M Not comprehensive but tracking system good for what it covers Vic N119 N120 N121 Category A Category B Category C Transported volumes M Opportunity for double counting Qld Regulated wastes - Contaminated Soil - Reports from landfill facilities for receipts and recovery; includes acid sulfate Treatment and reuse other than through a landfill facility; Recovered volume discounted. M Not comprehensive but reporting system good for what it covers and clear; WA Controlled – contaminated soil Class I Class II Class III Class IV Class V At gate of receiver Only a proportion of Classes I, II and II were reported L – only partial for some classes and data for all classes aggregated; quantification methods variable; mass balance undertaken of site assessments but not tracked SA NEPM N120 Waste fill (formerly clean fill) – reuse is not regulated Intermediate soil - can be used for landfill cover, or reused Low-level contaminated soil High-level contaminated soil H - Mass balance undertaken to verify movement data, continuous tracking of movements
Tas Controlled waste or display characteristics of a dangerous good (UN-Codes) Level 1 - Fill Material (not a controlled waste) Level 2 - Low Level Contaminated Soil Level 3 - Contaminated Soil 4 - Contaminated Soil for Remediation Approvals for management (treatment, reuse, landfill) Data for approvals to landfill for years other than 2012-13 & H – detail included, but landfill data only provided for 2 and reuse & treatment for 4 years; inaccuracies possible through conversion of measurement units to tonnes ACT Controlled waste (for MCW NEPM) Regulated waste for internal movements inert solid industrial hazardous –must be treated or exported On arrival at receivers; movements from receivers Beneficial re-use (BRU); H – weighbridge; 2 receivers; Includes remediation and details NT Listed – contaminated soil - Derived from waste levy data from landfill facility report On site treatment or M - single receiver; limited collected for financial accounting. Table 26 comparison of basis of data reported in Table 25
Category Sub category Arisings Intrastate movements / transport from generator Interstate movements (export) Interstate movements (import) Treatment Reuse Disposal / receipt at landfill Required under CWM NEPM NSW Soils contaminated with a substance or waste referred to in [the regulations] general general solid (putrescible) restricted solid hazardous N Not waste until it leaves site Y (most NEPM 75 types) y Y N (should be captured by movement tracking) part (movements from a landfill) Y Vic Prescribed Industrial Waste (PIW) NEPM 75 Category A Category B Category C Approvals and audits but not collated Cat A, Cat B, Cat C tracked Y approved Y tracked Y (captured by movement tracking) Y issues consignment authorisation; levies Qld Regulated waste; trackable waste - Registered Soil Disposal Permit – quantities not collated Trackable waste – waste transport certificates (logged by contaminant, not soil) y Can be reported Y (recovery from landfill) Y WA Controlled waste – contaminated soil Class I II Class III Class IV Class V (intractable) Classes IV & V required Classes I, II, & III part, but not required y Classes IV & V Classes I, II, & III part, but not required
SA NEPM N120 Waste fill Intermediate waste soil Low-level contaminated soil High-level contaminated soil N Not deemed waste until it leaves site; quantity could be derived from required site audit N120 transport certificates N120 transport certificates Y waste transport certificates No, except transporting intermediate landfill cover – waste tracking form y waste transport certificates Tas Controlled waste - MCW NEPM Contaminated soil Level 1 - Fill Material (not a controlled waste) Level 2 - Low Level Contaminated Soil Level 3 - Contaminated Soil Level 4 - Contaminated Soil for Remediation Controlled Y - through approvals n Controlled Y - certificates Controlled waste Y - certificates Inferred from approvals Inferred from approvals Inferred from approvals ACT Controlled waste (for MCW NEPM) Regulated waste solid industrial hazardous Environmental Authorisation (EA) for regulated Tracked for NEPC Y EA for regulated Y EA for regulated waste; BRU approvals are tracked Y EA for regulated NT Listed waste – contaminated soil - Not licensed, but audited licensed, reporting licensed, reporting y licensed, reporting licensed, reporting Y – licensed, reporting Table 27 Comparison of tracking and authorisation processes and potential for quantification of contaminated soils, by jurisdiction.