By VANESSA VALENZUELA
REMEDIATION works on a former Fire Training Area (FTA) at Point Cook’s RAAF base are set to start early next year, running more than 12 months behind schedule.
The $30.4 million remediation project, which involves the excavation of contaminated soil from the former training site, was initially expected to be complete by April 2013.
Director of Environmental Impact Management for Department of Defence Colin Trinder said costs and lack of equipment needed for the remediation process had caused the delays.
Mr Trinder said the nature and extent of contamination at the site had been established through a comprehensive investigation and ongoing monitoring process undertaken by the Department of Defence.
“We’ve done a range of risks assessments to assess health and human safety and the impact on the environment associated with undertaking this project,” Mr Trinder said.
According to the investigations, the FTA contains almost 950,000 litres of toxic liquid waste as a result of fire-fighting training activities that had been conducted on the site up until the late 1980s.
Fuels, chlorinated solvents and other chemicals were placed into pits before being set alight and then extinguished for training purposes.
These training exercises have resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater at the site and the former FTA, in its current state, is not suitable for any human activities because of the risk to human health.
Mr Trinder confirmed that contaminated groundwater at the site is leaking into Port Phillip Bay but said there was no cause for concern.
“Contaminated groundwater is getting into the bay but with the detection levels we have we are able to determine the risks are at a very low level,” he said.
“They are not at a level we would be concerned about causing any risk to human health.”
The remediation project will be completed using Ex Situ Thermal Desorption which involves heating the contaminated soil to destroy contaminates of concern in a controlled process.
Mr Trinder said after the completion of the remediation works, the treated soil will be placed back at the site which will then be revegetated and turned into parkland.
For more information about the remediation works visit www.defence.gov.au/id/pointcook
