The end may be in sight for people affected by the asbestos saga that has beset the Lendlease development at Calderwood Valley, as the last of more than 3000 tonnes of contaminated material is removed.
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Officers from the Environment Protection Authority are expected on-site to conduct inspections of the development near Albion Park on Friday, to check whether Wollongong Recycling has sufficiently cleaned up the asbestos pollution it had caused there.
Kembla Grange-based contracting firm Wollongong Recycling had supplied about 3,300 tonnes of waste aggregate as “free draining backfill” mid-last year. This aggregate was found to be contaminated with asbestos.
Primary contractor J.K. Williams had been doing major earthworks for Lendlease and GC Civil was engaged to build the retaining walls. GC had arranged the aggregate to be supplied, the EPA said.
It was used to fill 60 retaining walls built for much of stage 2A and some of stage 2B at the new housing estate.
After investigating, the EPA had ordered Wollongong Recycling to remove and dispose of the contaminated material. A deadline was set for March 2 but was pushed back two weeks at Wollongong Recycling’s request.
On Thursday the EPA said the contractor had reported the job was finished as per the requirements of the EPA’s clean-up notice.
“The EPA revised the clean-up notice in early March,” she said.
“Under the updated notice, Wollongong Recycling were required to complete the second stage of clean-up by March 16 and provide the EPA with a report and clearance certificate for these works by March 23.
“Wollongong Recycling notified the EPA on March 16 that the required works had been completed.
“The EPA will review both the physical clean-up and the certification (expected March 23) to ensure that all aspects of the clean-up notice have been complied with.
The EPA will review both the physical clean-up and the certification (expected March 23) to ensure that all aspects of the clean-up notice have been complied with.
- EPA spokeswoman
“EPA officers have been regularly inspecting the site.”
Once the EPA inspection has occurred, it is understood the retaining walls will need to be backfilled once again before the properties can proceed to registration.
Wollongong Recycling is owned by waste management giant Bingo, which bought the business last year from Helensburgh’s Blackwell family.
