A controversial Helensburgh building site may be unsuitable for residential use due to an unacceptable risk of dangerous materials.
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The result of an environmental investigation into soil and groundwater at 98A Parkes Street has found levels of ‘’asbestos (and) lead may pose an unacceptable risk to human health and/or the environment’’.
Wollongong City Council was forced to commission the report after residents reported a ‘’putrid odour’’ emanating from the site in February during excavation for a new townhouse development.
However the report, by environmental consultants Coffey, found no evidence of the chemicals (chloroxylenol and dichlorosylenol) thought to have caused the strong antiseptic smell at the site, where work has ceased.
In a letter to residents late last month council’s planning and environment director Andrew Carfield said a NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) site auditor would now assess what remediation may be required.
‘’It should be noted that given the historic use of lead paint and fibro within residential buildings, it is not uncommon for properties to have some level of lead or asbestos contamination,’’ Mr Carfield wrote. ‘’Such contamination can be addressed through remediation actions.’’
Council records show a previous property owner had applied a substance known as 'mono chlor xylenol' to fence posts at an animal closure at the premises.
However soil testing earlier this year by the EPA failed to identify ‘’any contaminants of concern’’, with mono chloroxylenols, phenols and BTEX compounds found to be below detection limits.
A NSW Health review was also undertaken after residents raised fears about what they claimed was a high rate of cancer cases in the site vicinity. However the rates were found to be ’’within what would normally be seen within a population’’.
Coffey conducted multiple tests across the site, including 14 soil samples, from three groundwater wells and a sample of pine tree root.
In the recent update to residents, Mr Carfield said further testing and excavation work may now be required, however ‘’the timing and extent of this work will not be known until we receive the site auditor’s report’’.
However independent councillor and Helensburgh resident Greg Petty said remediation works had been ordered for the site as far back as 2003, but had never been carried out.
‘’The community, in the approval process for the current development application, expressed concerns about contamination at the site,’’ he said. ‘’It’s now evident those community concerns were justified by the finding of lead and asbestos.’’