Contamination Advice, Soil Assessment and Waste Soil Classification for School Boat Landing
Overview
ARC was engaged to undertake a third-party review of existing investigations and provide review, soil classification and advice in relation to contaminated soil for the redevelopment of the Wesley College Boat Landing on the Yarra River banks.
Scope
ARC provided the following services:
- Review of previous reports and existing Soil Management Plan (SMP);
- Soil assessment and waste soil classification;
- Residual contaminated soil management and waste soil advice; and
- Development of an Ongoing Environmental Management Plan (OEMP) to manage residual contamination following the completion of redevelopment works.
Challenge
ARC recommended and implemented a targeted additional sampling program and conducted a robust statistical re-evaluation of existing and new data. These measures substantially reduced the volumes of higher-category waste soil, ensured full regulatory compliance (including WorkSafe and occupational hygienist obligation during removal), and achieved disposal cost savings.
Based on the presence of Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) fragments within the soils, ARC recommended excavating trenches to fully characterise the presence or absence of ACM. The additional assessment works allowed precise segregation of the 2,025 m³ of excavated soil into domains while the material was still in-situ, providing upfront understanding of the removal requirements.
Through the additional soil assessment, including leachate analysis, rigorous statistical re-assessment to understand the 95% Upper Confidence Limit (UCL) for results and subsequent successful EPA waste soil designations, ARC successfully classified the 2,025 m³ of waste soil, achieving cost savings of $957,000 from the original waste soil estimates, while maintaining full regulatory compliance.
ARC introduced an approach that allowed remnant contaminated soils to remain safely in-situ beneath inaccessible capping layers (for example concrete hardstand and structures), avoiding unnecessary and costly removal.
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