Byron Shire Council proposes to ‘permanently cap’ small amounts of asbestos, along with soils contaminated with non-leachable contaminants at a disused effluent pond at the old South Byron Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP).
The sewage treatment plant, located at 1 Broken Head Road, is being decontaminated, ‘as required by the NSW government in accordance with the Contaminated Lands Act’, with a view to develop the land in partnership with a developer/philanthropist rather than sell it.
And according to Council staff, their plans are ‘an acceptable remediation strategy for soils containing non-leachable contaminants.’
Green credentials challenged
The clarification from staff comes as environmentalist Dailan Pugh challenged Council’s Green credentials over the asbestos remediation.
He told Echonetdaily, ‘As part of their remediation of the old STP, Council is now preparing a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the filling one of the two treatment lagoons adjacent to the Tallow Creek estuary in the Cape Byron Marine Park, with asbestos contaminated material.’
‘These lagoons are now functioning as freshwater wetlands and are home to a plethora of waterbirds.
‘It is absurd that a supposedly Green Council is intending to fill-in a wetland with asbestos contaminated fill. It is untenable that in an era where global warming is causing rising sea-levels, accelerating coastal erosion and intensifying floods, that anyone would be allowed to bury contaminated fill on a flood-prone site, vulnerable to coastal inundation. It is only a matter of time until the rising floodwaters or storm waves transport the asbestos into the estuary and onto Tallow Beach.
‘Council must stop wasting our rates on planning for this outrageous proposal and instead identify a more appropriate site for disposal of their contaminated waste.’
Capped asbestos
Echonetdaily asked Council staff, ‘Is it correct that there is asbestos contaminated material in the treatment lagoons and that the intention is to fill-in the wetland with asbestos contaminated fill?
Council says it is now in the process of decontaminating the South Byron Sewage Treatment Plant, ‘in accordance with the NSW Contaminated Lands Act’.
Its director of infrastructure services, Phil Holloway said remediation of the South Byron Sewage Treatment Plant involves ‘either the removal, or capping and containment of contaminated material.’
‘Council is proposing that soils contaminated with non-leachable contaminants, containing small traces of asbestos, and other rubbish such as glass, rags and building rubble, be placed in a portion of the western-most effluent pond and be permanently capped so it will not be disturbed,’ he said.
‘The contaminated material is non-leachable meaning that contaminants will not leach into the water column and will therefore not have any impact on the remainder of the effluent pond.
Acceptable strategy
‘Contaminated site practitioners including environmental consultants and EPA-accredited contaminated site auditors offer this capping and containment method as an acceptable remediation strategy for soils containing non-leachable contaminants.
‘It is important to note that this method of disposing, consolidating and containing contaminated material on-site is standard practice at contaminated sites. The other option available to Council to dispose of the contaminated material is to truck it to Queensland.’
Mr Holloway said it is important for people to remember that the South Byron Sewage Treatment Plant was built for the disposal of Byron Bay’s effluent and that effluent was treated in the two ponds on the site.
‘Since operations at South Byron stopped birds have been using the effluent ponds, but people need to realise they are not natural wetlands or lagoons but man-made structures purpose-built to hold treated waste,” Mr Holloway said.
‘I am very confident that when the remediation work is completed, the birds will continue to use the effluent ponds,” he added.
Recognised internationally
‘People should know that Byron Shire Council is recognised internationally as one of the most progressive governments in the world with its purpose built West Byron Sewage Treatment Plant and the constructed wetlands there.
‘These wetlands are famous bird watching areas and Council has built a bird hide and welcomes bird watchers.
‘We have gone as far as to artificially control the water level in some areas to take into account the nesting of some species.
‘There is not another Council in this region that is as committed to protecting and improving bird life as we are and this is something we are very proud of,’ Mr Holloway said.
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