One of the country's most extensive toxic waste clean-ups is ending.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Environment Protection Authority held a final information session in Kaniva to up community members on the three-year, $40 million clean-up process.
EPA Victoria site manager Julian Bull said the waste was removed from 32 sites, and 25 had been backfilled with clean soil.
Community members attending the meeting expressed concerns about the underground water and the damage to the agriculture sector's reputation due to the waste dump.
Still, Mr Bull said he thought the clean-up process and the result had proven that the industry was safe.
"One of our biggest concerns was the regional groundwater aquifer and the $100 million per annum value to agriculture in the region," he said.
"But we discovered the presence of clay aquitards in the soil profile, which reduced potential impacts on the groundwater.
"The good news is the toxic waste has not leaked into the underground aquifer."
About 50 wells were installed on-site and are monitored every quarter.
Groundwater testing will be continued for five years. Despite the complexities and logistical challenges, the project has been conducted without incident.
"All risks were managed and safety maintained for the project staff and the community," an Enviropacific spokesperson said. Enviropacific was awarded the contract to clean up the site in December 2020.
"The 32 sites have had waste removed, and 26 of the 32 sites have been backfilled," Mr Bull said.
"In addition, 1,7 million litres of liquid waste has been disposed of, 13,500 tonnes of contaminated soils have been disposed of off-site, 7500 tonnes of contaminated soil has been treated on site, 40,000 tonnes was encountered on site, 5000KL of contaminated water has been treated on-site and 51,5000 acetylene cylinders were found."
As the project concludes, nonessential buildings and equipment are being dismantled and removed from the site.
Auditing, monitoring, and reporting requirements will continue until the end of this year, and underground water will be tested for the next five years.
The EPA engaged an independent Auditor to oversee the clean-up.
"The Kaniva community has been incredibly supportive of the clean-up project team since we started in 2020, and we appreciate their support and input into such an important project," Mr Bull said.
"The numbers show the breadth of work that has been done, with about 70 EPA and Enviropacific staff involved in removing more than 1,650 tonnes of liquid waste and 13,500 tonnes of contaminated soil after more than 40,000 tonnes of contaminated soil was discovered.
"Excavation of acetylene cylinders is complete with 51,500 cylinders discovered and more than 40,000 cylinders safely transported to the Stawell site.
"The remainder is expected to follow by the end of this week. It's great to process these cylinders safely, with this new site the first of its kind in Australia."
An option to recycle 51,000 gas cylinders overseas was cost-prohibitive; therefore, a new facility was established at Stawell in a national first.
Members of the audience asked why they couldn't have the cylinders processed at Kaniva, how confident the EPA was that contaminated water would not eventually reach the underground aquifer, and if Mr White would be pursued for costs.
Mr Bull hoped the use of local contractors and having staff living and working in the community had somehow lessened the impact of the discovery.
Mr Bull said the facility at Stawell was already established and had the room to process the cylinders, which was also a cost-saving decision.
"Over 100 angry people faced us at the first meeting held in Kaniva when the site was discovered, and they had every reason to be angry, but tonight we have a much smaller meeting, which I think demonstrates the community has seen what we have done and are confident in the process we have followed in cleaning up the site," he said.
He is also confident that results from the five-year water testing program will not show any further contaminated water.
In 2018, the toxic waste dump was discovered during a joint inspection by the VICPOL ECHO taskforce and Australian Federal Police near Kaniva in the Wimmera region.
They discovered a 1400-hectare heavily vegetated property owned by Graham White 15 kilometres from Kaniva Victoria, at Lemon Springs, was being used as a toxic waste dump.
Drones with ground-penetrating radar uncovered 32 burial sites of toxic waste buried in containers.
VICPOL handed over lead responsibility to the EPA due to the discovery of toxic waste.
On December 3, 2019, EPA executed its powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1970 to take management of the site.
Additional sites were discovered in Melbourne during the joint investigations by the EPA, VICPOL, and Worksafe.
The EPA and Worksafe cleaned up the warehouses and fire sites in Melbourne and Lemon Springs due to the risk to the community.
The total cost of the clean-up at Lemon Springs and the Melbourne sites has reached about 150 million dollars. Mr White has been charged, and the matter is before the courts.
EPA Mr Rees said Mr White was charged with 118 offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1970.
A hearing is scheduled for 2024.
Mr Bull said there would be efforts to recoup costs from Mr White.
The site is not expected to be developed in the future.
