Question Without Notice No. 109 asked in the Legislative Council on 21 March 2018 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
FORRESTFIELD–AIRPORT LINK PROJECT — SOIL CONTAMINATION
109. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the contamination of soil by chemicals known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from the site of the Forrestfield–Airport Link tunnelling project.
(1) What total volume of contaminated waste soil has now been accumulated?
(2) Is this waste still being stockpiled; and, if so, is it all at the Kewdale site that was previously used?
(3) Is this soil subject to the waste levy under the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Levy Act 2007 and Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Levy Regulations 2008?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) What quantum of the waste levy would be applicable to this waste if it were subject to the levy?
(6) What plan is in place to manage the contaminated materials?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the Minister for Transport.
(1) As of 7 March 2018, approximately 300 000 cubic metres of soil originating from construction works for the Forrestfield–Airport Link project has been stockpiled. The PFAS national environmental management plan supports the reuse of soil containing minor concentrations of PFAS, such as that excavated by the Forrestfield–Airport Link project.
(2) The soil originating from the construction works for the Forrestfield–Airport Link project is being stockpiled at 777 Abernethy Road in Forrestfield and at a site on Perth Airport land.
(3) No.
(4) Soil that is temporarily stockpiled is not subject to the waste levy.
(5) This is not applicable as the waste levy does not apply to the stockpiling of this soil.
(6) Temporary storage of soil is being undertaken in accordance with all relevant approvals and a suite of project-specific environmental management plans.