Clean Up History of Homebush Bay Site

In 1987 the NSW Government served notice on Union Carbide to clean up the contamination on its site.
In 1988 contaminated sediments were identified in Homebush Bay.

Between 1990 and 1992 remediation was undertaken by Union Carbide of its site. This company had been restructured and renamed Lednez. The remediation was undertaken using the capping method and was signed off by the EPA as satisfactory for industrial use.
Between 1992 and 1997 further tests were undertaken to estimate the level of contamination of adjoining land sites and Homebush Bay sediments.
The NSW Government obtained agreement from Bankers Trust (BT) the owner of the adjoining former Allied Feeds site to work together developing a joint remediation strategy.
In 1997 the NSW Government allocated $A21 million towards remediation of Homebush Bay sediments. The government called for Expressions of Interest to identify proven technology that could destroy the contaminants of concern.

Government acquired the former Lednez site.
The NSW planning authority DUAP commenced the rezoning of Western Rhodes Peninsula from Industrial to Residential/Commercial.
The powers of the NSW Environmental Protection Authority were strengthened with the enactment of the new Contaminated Land Management Act.

A call for detailed proposals was invited for the remediation and subsequent residential development of the dry land sites.
The EIS process for the remediation of the sediments in Homebush Bay and for the former Allied Feeds and Lednez sites was commenced.
A new Development Control Plan for the Rhodes Peninsular went on public exhibition.
The Minister for Transport announced the Preferred Proponent for the remediation as a consortium of Theiss Services and Trafalgar Corporate.
Briefing of Government agencies, local government, peak environmental groups and Rhodes community groups commenced.
BT sold the former Allied Feeds site to Meriton. This effectively reduced the government remediation project to its current scope which includes the remediation of the sediments in Homebush Bay and the former Lednez/Union Carbite site.

Heads of Agreement were signed between the Waterways Authority and Thiess in May.
A remediation contract was signed between Thiess and the Waterways Authority in November.

Thiess prepared the EIS and development application for remediation of the Bay and Lednez sites.

Thiess lodged the remediation development application in January.
Commission of Inquiry into the remediation proposal held in June.
In December the Commissioner reported to the Minister for Planning. He concluded that there is no technical reason why the project should not go ahead.
Work on General Terms of Approval taking into account the Commissioner’s recommendations is commenced by the regulatory agencies.

Remediation Development Consent granted by Minister for Planning (May 2004).
Detailed contract negotiations continued between Thiess/Trafalgar consortium and Waterways to finalise remediation contract.
Thiess pursued detailed requirements of the EPA for operating licences.

All Remediation Deed conditions precedent satisfied (Feb). This enabled execution of the final remediation contract in April
Thiess commenced work (May) and has 5 years to complete remediation of the Bay. Completion of all remediation is currently scheduled for November 2008.
Project progress is reviewed monthly via a project control group.

Pilot scale remediation plant on site and commissioning of it commenced.
Major earthworks for environmental control of water runoff from the site completed.