Soil from the Barangaroo development is to be moved back to Sydney. Picture: MELANIE RUSSELL
The Environment Protection Authority has confirmed a contaminated stockpile of material stored at Port Kembla, formerly from the Barangaroo site in Sydney, will be removed to an EPA-licensed landfill in Sydney.
The EPA's director of waste and resource recovery, Steve Beaman, said work to remove the waste was expected to begin tomorrow.
Last year there was anger in the Illawarra after asbestos was found in the supposedly clean soil shipped from Sydney's Barangaroo development site to Port Kembla.
Developer Lend Lease had struck a deal with the Port Kembla Port Corporation to ship about 600,000 tonnes of fill from the site for use in land reclamation.
Concerns the shipments would contain contaminated soil from Barangaroo were justified when chunks of bonded asbestos were spotted as the first ship was unloaded.
Mr Beaman said the EPA was continuing to work closely with all the parties involved to ensure that the material was being appropriately handled and disposed of.
"The EPA has committed to having officers present during the removal operation to ensure that all regulatory and licence requirements are met," Mr Beaman said.
"Ambient air monitoring, as well as noise and water monitoring programs, will also be in place for the duration of the operation.
"The material will be routinely wetted down to prevent the generation of dust during loading, transportation and disposal. Workers involved in the management and loading of the material will be operating in sealed, air-conditioned vehicles, and all material will be transported in fully covered vehicles to ensure the protection of the community.
"An independent occupational hygienist has been engaged to conduct airborne asbestos fibre monitoring during the works and they will also provide a validation at the completion of the works ensuring that all asbestos has been removed from the site."
