Assignment 1, extent of pollution in the area of homebush bay - specifically sydney olympic park PDF

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Assignment 1, Extent of pollution in the area of Homebush bay - Specifically Sydney Olympic Park...

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Homebush Bay An investigation into waste management on site

Group 1 Umer ASLAM – 111XXX Gaganjot ASSI – 11001676 Johnson TANG – 10680159 Sonny Keen Chong LEI – 11241546 Wayne Junior GUEVARA - 11001219

Contents 1.

Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................2

2.

History of Homebush Bay..............................................................................................................3 2.1 State Abattoirs.............................................................................................................................3 2.2 The Brick Pit.................................................................................................................................4 2.3 Homebush Bay Chemical Industries.............................................................................................5 2.4 Homebush Bay Landfill................................................................................................................6

3.

Green Games transformation........................................................................................................7

4.

Industrial Pollutants in Homebush Bay........................................................................................12

5. Extent of pollution in Homebush Bay in respect to the Olympics......................................................1 5.1 During the time of the games......................................................................................................1 5.2 Today........................................................................................................................................... 1 6.

Critical Reflection...........................................................................................................................2 6.1 Waste dumping and pollution of the site.....................................................................................2 6.2 Surface water and Ground water.................................................................................................2 6.3 Clean-up activities prior to the Games.........................................................................................2

7.

References..................................................................................................................................... 3

1. Executive Summary “And the winner is… Sydney!” These famous words, announced by Juan Antonio Samaranch, the then head of the International Olympic Committee, on September 24 1993, marked the beginning of the preparation of Sydney for The 2000 Summer Olympic games, Games of the XXVII Olympiad, and the subsequent clean-up and long-term improvement of the Homebush Bay. Homebush Bay is situated on the South bank of the Parramatta River located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney. Homebush Bay, Olympic park and the Bicentennial Park area, is today reclaimed land being utilised for major attractions and events and used for its recreational value. Now a flourishing, “green”, modern environment, Homebush bay faced decades of degradation and what can now be seen as misuse, due to local industry and its detrimental waste products. This report gives insight into the decades leading to the games and the significant events that affected the area. Section 2.4 in particular explores the effects on Homebush due to the improper disposal of waste into the Homebush area, through an analysis of Dioxin contaminants by the Union Carbide group. Before the London 2012 Olympic Games, Sydney 2000 had been dubbed the Green Games. Regeneration and rehabilitation of the bay was underway in the 1980s and received further drive for the refurbishment effort after the announcement of the games in 1993. Section 3 further addresses the transformation processes Homebush Bay undertook in its development to the place it is today. The push in the 1980s was necessary due to the damage made by industrial waste in the decades past. Section 4 provides insight into the industrial pollutants that were identified and where they were located within the bay. With the motivation to provide an environmentally friendly Olympic for the world to marvel over, the Sydney Olympics 2000 Bid Limited and its other committees were required to drastically change pollution in the lead up to, during and after the games. Section 5 provides insight into the extent of pollution with mind-blowing date such as the $137 million investment in the degraded lands, which contained nine million cubic metres of waste. A critical analysis has been included in the form of a reflection on what we as a group think has happened in terms of waste dumping, pollution of the site, the surface water, ground water, and the clean-up activities prior to the Games.

2. History of Homebush Bay Originally this land was considered to be containing fertile soil along with the ability to sustain settlement as it was able to provide food and water to aboriginal inhabitants (SOPA, 2014). However the area would see great environmental change due to the industries which were established within the area combined with the minimal knowledge of environmental impact and legislation of that time. The major contributors to pollution within this area can be seen to come from (SOPA,2014): -

State Abattoirs(Slaughterhouse) State Brickworks Chemical Industry within the area

However the impact of these industries was small when compared to the mass dumping of waste which occurred during the late century. This will be discussed in detail below.

2.1 State Abattoirs The state Abattoirs were established in Homebush Bay following concerns that the current Abattoir was in close proximity to existing establishments and posed a threat to the health of citizens. In 1906 the parliament recommended construction of a new abattoir in Homebush Bay with construction beginning in 1910(Wayne, 2012). The lack of legislation to control pollution meant the State Abattoir was allowed to send its effluent into the surrounding water bodies. In the 1930’s this lead to constant algal blooms and the attraction of sharks into the area. It is clear that having apex predators in new areas has the potential to significantly change the characteristics of the ecosystem. During the 1960’s the facility saw an increase in funding which allowed upgrading of the facilities and maintenance to be carried out on infrastructure. However this was shortlived as maintenance ceased after it was found the Abattoir would not be profitable in the future and was shut down in the late 1980’s.

Figure 1: State Abattoir (Top Right), Source: (Afloat, 2008)

2.2 The Brick Pit The Brick Pit was established in 1911 after an inquiry into the then current brick manufacturing monopoly showed that it would be more beneficial if the government was able to produce its own bricks. In 1911 9.5 Ha of land area was reclaimed from the State Abattoir for the construction of a Brick Pit. This figure rose to approximately 23.5 Ha by 1925. Due to its low profitability the Brick Pit was closed in 1940 to make way for a private munitions storage facility. However after World War 2 there was high demand for bricks and the operations were resumed again. The Brickpit restored profitability in late 1970’s with closure of the facility in 1988.

Figure 2: Aerial View of Brickpit, Source (Merton, nd)

2.3 Homebush Bay Chemical Industries The chemical industry of Homebush Bay originally had a heavy influence in the production of timber preservatives during the 1920’s. However during the 1950’s factories were purchased and production shifted to include pesticides and DDT. These processes both produced harmful by products such as dioxins (SOPA,2014). Dioxins are harmful as they are carcinogenic and can cause cancer in humans through exposure. Alongside these industries there was also factories producing paint, resins and phthalates. To add to this Petroleum and Chemical Corporation Australia Ltd (PACCAL) operated in this area producing approximately 3 tonnes of waste sludge per day during the 1960’s which was contained in ponds

Figure 3: Union Carbide Factory on the Water Bank, Source: (Chemlink, 2007)

This area was then given permission to be used as a ship breaking facility which salvaged materials from vessels, some remains of ships can still be seen today and are unable to be removed or shifted from the waterways as they are protected as a relic under the Historic Shipwrekcs Act 1976 (Environment NSW, 2000). However all these industries are relatively insignificant in terms of the events which occurred during the 1960’s and 70’which would label the area as being one of the most polluted in the world.

Figure 4: S.S Ayrfield Wreck in Homebush Bay, Source: (Planetden,nd) 2.4 Homebush Bay Landfill

The greatest damage which was caused to the environment was when toxic and hazardous waste was dumped in the region over the period of the 1960’s and 70’s. Union Carbide often buried dioxins into the local area which have now leached into the surrounding waterways. The effects of this has been widespread, causing a ban of commercial fishing in Sydney Harbour due to levels of dioxins being 100 times more than recommended World Health Organisation values. In further investigation it was found that these had leached from the waterways in Homebush Bay (Perry, 2006). The general trend of the above industries was that the majority were starting to cease operations during the late 70’s and 80’s. The area was then allocated for redevelopment despite being surrounded by chemical industries, fuel terminals and also waste dumping grounds. (Beder, 1993) During the 1980’s land reclamation of the area saw many councils not taking their waste to garbage tips but rather dumping the waste within Homebush Bay resulting in the filling of numerous wetlands. Beder (1993) says there is approximately a 0.5 to 4 metres fill in about a third of the Homebush Bay area. It is very hard for environmental engineers today to understand the composition of this waste because no records were kept, however traces of asbestos, pesticides and dioxins have been found in the area.

3. Green Games transformation The International Olympic Committee wanted to host an environmentally friendly Olympic games as the previous games have been environmentally disastrous. The games cause an increase in waste generated, resources used and pollution. The successful bid for the 2000 Olympic Games was a core factor as to why the industrial dump became known as the “Green Games”. The Sydney Olympic Games was the first to incorporate environmental sustainability into the processes. The bid to the games raised the needed funds and awareness to remediate the polluted land. Following the bid, the Green Games Watch was formed from a number of environmental groups in order to monitor and promote environmental principles. The Olympic Coordination Authority developed tendering policies that included environmental impacts and management. These policies caused the building industry to research and address environmental impacts into their design proposals. This created a legacy after the games for the building industry as there was a strong focus on environmental impacts. It served as the foundation for the environmental guidelines that are encountered today. The Olympic venues created were environmentally friendly; this was achieved with the use of sustainable resources and was powered using renewable resources. The NSW government allocated $137 million for the remediation of polluted areas. The purpose of this budget is to contain and where possible to treat the waste on-site rather than relocating. Waste was removed in sensitive areas. The waste was then placed in mounds and covered up. Drainage pipes were installed and the leachate was directed to a treatment plant. In 1999, 400 tonnes of contaminated soil was treated in a two stage thermal desorption process. The first stage used heat to separate the chemical waste from the soil. The soil was then used in the development of park lands and the chemical waste taken to storage facilities to be treated. The chemical waste from was then reduced in concentration by reversing the chemistry used in manufacturing. This process effectively reduced the concentration from approximately 900,000 parts per million to less than 1 part per million. This second stage process was completed in 2002; most of the waste was still contained on site during the games. Most of the waste was contained within the site during the games; this was a topic of controversy as there was concern over untreated hazardous waste. The successes that have led the Olympic Games to be known as the Green Games are: 

The remediation of approximately 160 hectares of land containing industrial waste, construction waste and domestic waste. Turning landfill spaces in park lands and planting of over two million trees.

Figure 5: Bicentennial Park, Remediated landfill park space.

 

Ecologically sustainable development in the use of renewable resources and energy efficient systems. Implementation of a new rail line that encouraged visitors to use public transport.

Figure 6: Sydney Olympic park train station

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Development of a water reclamation and management scheme. The Urban Water Recycling system saves approximately 850 litres of drinking water each year. Restoring wetlands and protecting the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog.

Figure 7: Endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog

 

Development of the Olympic Village and the suburb of Newington with ESD principles. At the time of construction it was the largest solar powered suburb in the world. Waste minimisation and management, use of recycling to achieve 77% recovery of general waste and a 60% recovery of construction and demolition waste. Composting was also utilised with worm farms.

Figure 8: Recycling bins displayed at 2000 Sydney Olympic Games

The legacy created by these successes is the reason why the Sydney Olympic Games is known as the Green Games. This project set environmental benchmarks for future Olympic Games and large scope projects while also promoting community awareness about these issues. The Olympic Games were broadcasted on a global scale which greatly showcased the green initiatives. Overall the games served as a means to educate people about the consequences of uncontrolled landfill on the environment and the importance of ecologically sustainable design. _________________________________________

During the times of the Sydney Olympic Games, we saw a radical change in the Homebush bay area. The International Olympic Committee had shown their interest in having Green games with an announcement that environmental considerations would be taken into account when choosing a suitable city. This meant that in order for Sydney’s bid to become successful, there was a lot of work to be done, in a really short period of time. As such we can see this reflected in the buildings in and surrounding the area. From construction recycling and reuse to co-generation engines providing electricity and water along with more visible solar panels providing all power to the facilities, the message that Sydney Olympic Park was green is clear. This was one of Australia's largest land remediation projects. The 6-year, $A137m program has transformed a highly degraded environment into usable public space. The remediated lands and waterways are part of the new Millennium Parklands, which forms a green backdrop to Sydney Olympic Park and the Olympic Village. (SOPA 2014) The wastes removed from sensitive land and waterways & consolidated into waste moulds, which were then capped & landscaped. To prevent pollution escaping to the waterways, drainage systems were installed to transfer the leachate to the nearby waste treatment plant. An enhanced remediation strategy was put in place to ensure continued monitoring and management of the remediated land. During the games, All venues used renewable electricity generated by solar, wind, hydro and biomass with excess being distributed through Sydney’s electric grid. Paper use was reduced by sending information electronically when possible and volunteers helped to assist with environmental compliance. In addition to this, A Olympic Youth Camp with 500 youth representatives participated planting trees, doing eco tours and conducting forums on the environment.(SOPA 2000) A Dual water system at Sydney Olympic Park supplied potable water from the main water supply and recycled water for other uses. Sewage was treated on-site with the water reclaimed used for irrigation and toilets. The buildings erected on site were also constructed out of materials that underwent a life-cycle analysis to assess their impacts, with the least impact materials being chosen. This was accompanied by the Sydney Olympic Park Authority Act (2001) which requires the Sydney Olympic Park Authority to make all reasonable efforts to ensure that: • any new development carried out complies with best practice environmental and town planning standards; • the natural heritage of the Parklands is protected and enhanced After this, they subsequently released annual statements of environmental conditions around Sydney Olympic park, available on their website.

4. Industrial Pollutants in Homebush Bay Most of the industrial waste dumped around the site, including potential waste from the State Abattoirs, State Brickworks, and Chemical Industries within the area are hard to trace back to their origin, this is also particularly due to extensive landfill which has been carried out on site since the 1890s, which peaked during the 1960s and 1970s when public councils stopped taking industrial waste at their garbage tips. Industrial waste dumping continued even into the early 1980s, as a result bays and large areas of saltmarshes and wetlands have been filled in around the area (see Fig. 5). One third of the Homebush site has been filled to a depth of between 0.5 and 4 metres. Materials used for landfill ranged from demolition materials to industrial and household wastes.

Figure 9: Map of the Homebush Bay area

Since most of the filling, as well as industrial polluting from the above mentioned industries happened without supervision no records were kept of the location or type of wastes that were buried or leached on the site. In recent years heavy metals, asbestos contaminated wastes and chemical wastes including dioxins and pesticides, have been found on parts of the site. The testing of pollutants in the area was conducted extensively by Coffey Partners, and revealed extensive contamination. The contamination was worst at the old brickworks site, near the State Sports Centre and near Haslams Creek that runs through the site, separating the proposed Olympic village from the sporting and recreational activities. As well as the industrial waste there was other hazardous waste in the area because there had been five railway stations around the area in the past and the rail embankments were constructed of asbestos wastes and regularly sprayed with weedicides (McCotter, 1989) The areas along the edges of Haslams Creek (refer to Fig. 5) were found by Coffey Partners to contain:   

heavy metals lead hydrocarbons

  

asbestos pesticides putrescible wastes

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chloroethylenes

The groundwater around the area had elevated levels of:  

chlorobenzenes chloromethanes

Presumably these chloro-compounds leached out of the dumped material in the ground. The surface seep water on the other hand contained elevated levels of:     

chlorobenzene arsenic cadmium mercury lead

    

ammonium fluoride barium copper zinc and other metals
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