The contaminated land at Hunters Hill will soon be cleaned up following the approval of the NSW Government’s proposal to remove legacy radiological and chemical waste from the site to be shipped overseas to Idaho, USA.
The Government’s proposal to dispose of the contaminated soil had received overwhelming support from the local community and Hunters Hill Council during the recent public exhibition period, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said.
The proposal resulted from years of extensive and complex investigation to find the best solution for the community, the Minister said.
“The Hunters Hill site has a legacy of radiological and chemical contamination from industrial activity in the late 1800s to early 1900s and we needed to clean up the land but also find a suitable location to send the waste.”
The removal of the waste also means the waterfront properties can once again be used by the community.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the health and safety of the community would be prioritised during site remediation works and transportation of the material.
“The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) will supervise the excavation and packing of the contaminated material into sealed bags and containers prior to transport to the USA,” Pavey said.
“This will ensure the safe removal of legacy contamination that has been present at Nelson Parade for over a century. This is a modern solution to a 100-year-old problem.”
Member for Lane Cove Anthony Roberts said the decision would be welcomed by local residents who’ve lived through a lot of uncertainty.
“The contaminated waste has caused a lot of stress over the decades, so this is a big win for local people and I’m glad we’ve finally arrived at an outcome that deals with this issue once and for all,” Roberts says.
Image: https://bellona.org/news/nuclear-issues/2017-06-fresh-radiation-alarm-at-us-cold-war-legacy-site-forces-workers-to-take-cover
