330 Olympic Swimming Pools of Toxic Waste

Tuesday, 16 September 2003 10:00

"Hazardous waste disposal increased by 30% from 2000," said Jeff Angel, TEC Director. "In 2001, over 380,000 tonnes of toxic waste were disposed of in NSW, enough to fill over 330 Olympic sized swimming pools. Clearly, it's time for industry to clean up its act and for the EPA to move cleaner production from boutique programs to mainstream."

Hazardous and industrial waste includes lead, mercury, cynide, heavy metals, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, contaminated soils, oils, waste chemicals, plastic residues, pharmaceutical waste and unclassified hazardous waste.

"Most liquid hazardous waste ends up at the Lidcombe Liquid Waste Plant where 100,000 tonnes per annum is concentrated to 20,000 tonnes of problematic process residue. This is not waste minimisation, but waste concentration."

"The answer is not more processing but enforceable targets that mandate overall reductions in hazardous and industrial waste generation. Cleaner production processes conserve raw materials and energy, and engender a culture of industrial efficiency and productivity which reduces the costs of waste treatment and disposal."

"One of the most successful cleaner production strategies has been undertaken in the US state of Massachusetts which successfully reduced toxic chemical use by 19% whilst recording strong economic growth. It's time that we caught up with international best practice and redeemed our image as a clean, green country."

"TEC calls on the NSW EPA to establish a clear set of initiatives that identifies and targets the removal of highly toxic chemicals and mandate overall reductions in hazardous and industrial waste generation."

Traditionally hazardous waste has been dumped into large, plastic lined landfills. No records have been kept of the type or amount of waste that entered these landfills.

The largest hazardous waste landfill opened in Castlereagh in 1968. The site covers 360 hectares and received over 1 million tonnes of liquid waste. Sustained community pressure by the Resident Action Group for the Environment (RAGE) led to the closure of this site in August 1988. Ongoing leachate testing continues to reveal high level of contaminants leaving the site.

The Key Findings Include:
· Hazardous and industrial waste disposal rose by 30% from 2000 to 2002.
· 380,000 tonnes of hazardous and industrial waste was disposed in NSW in 2001- enough waste to fill over 330 Olympic sized swimming pools.
· Over 150 tonnes of highly toxic mercury were disposed in 2001.
· Over 68,000 tonnes of lead were disposed in 2001.
· The paint and pigment industry produced 14,500 tonnes of hazardous waste in 2001.