cooperative research centre for contamination assessment and remediation of the environment kerry...
TRANSCRIPT
COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR CONTAMINATION ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Kerry Scott
CRC CARE
ACLCA 2015 21 October 2015
The National Remediation Framework– towards harmonisation
Presentation outline
• Drivers for remediation and management guidelines
• Harmonisation
• National Remediation Framework
• NRF construction, consultation and adoption
DriversSustainable development and remediation
Urban infill development/urban renewal/urbanisation– cities
• population pressures• 60-80% of contaminated sites
– legacy sites• petroleum / manufacturing / landfill / railway
– economic, social and environmental benefits
De-industrialisation – future sites– eg oil refineries, manufacturing plants
Community awareness– increasing accountability for industry and regulators
Improved efficiency and effectiveness
A national approach to remediation
Land management and environmental protection– a state responsibility– each State has their own approach to remediation– >30 state regulatory/guidance instruments (6 States)
Assessment of contamination– harmonised national approach
• National Environment Protection Measure [updated 2013]• cannot legally be extended to remediation
Remediation and management of contamination– State regulators suggested
• a national remediation framework• NRF to complement the NEPM• CRC CARE to develop
National Remediation Framework
Purpose– establish a nationally consistent approach to contaminated site
remediation and management
Expected outcomes – facilitation of– protection of human health and the environment– effective and efficient remediation– net community benefit– seamless linkages with the NEPM
across jurisdictions– transfer of best practice– workforce - mutual recognition of skills– common ‘remediation language’
National Remediation FrameworkDevelopment
Guidance
– practical outcomes based – “how to …, when to…”– modular/flexible - individual elements may be updated over time– compatibility
• NRF principles• related requirements in the NEPM• will not impinge on the policy and decision-making prerogatives of
jurisdictions
Harmonisation– build on current guidance and practice
– develop new guidance where appropriate
NRF Steering Group
– strategic direction and oversight
National Remediation FrameworkNRF Steering Group - membership
Site owners
– petroleum
– mining
– Defence
Industry (remediation)
– Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA)
– Australian Contaminated Land Consultants Association (ACLCA)
Government
– States and Territories
– Commonwealth (Finance, Environment)
– planning, health
Community
Related sectors
– construction
National Remediation FrameworkSchematic
PHILOSOPHY
CONTEXT
BackgroundJurisdictional arrangements
Legislative powers
Purpose of framework
Intended audience
PRINCIPLES
Precautionary Prevention Risk management
Options hierarchy SustainabilityNational / international
obligations
PRACTICE
GUIDANCE
Remediation (action) plan Development
Remediation (action) plan Implementation
Post–remediation
Regulatory requirements Health and safety Remediation validation and closure
Site specific remediation objectives Stakeholder engagement Long-term monitoring
Identifying remedial options Documentation and record-keeping Auditing/third party review
Selection of remedial technologies
Institutional controls
Treatability studies
Cost-benefit analysis
National Remediation FrameworkBackground/context - completed
– Frameworks review [www.crccare.com]
– Context and philosophy [www.crccare.com]
– Guidance mapping [www.crccare.com]
http://www.crccare.com/knowledge-sharing/national-remediation-framework
National Remediation FrameworkPrinciples
Precautionary– careful evaluation to avoid, wherever practicable, serious or irreversible
damage to the environment – an assessment of the risk-weighted consequences of various options
Prevention– avoid future contamination
Risk based– human health and/or environmental risks commensurate with site use– underpins Australian environmental management
Options hierarchy– treatment on-site, then off-site– containment on-site, then off-site (landfill)
Sustainable development and sustainability
Sustainability– IGAE/NSESD– state environmental protection legislation - objects clauses– 2013 NEPM update
Integration/balancing environmental, economic and social aspects– application at the project scale– optimise footprint [environmental, economic, social]
Approaches– sustainable remediation [SuRF] /green [USEPA] /sustainability [NRF]– NRF
“... an integrated assessment of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of remedial activities, which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
National Remediation FrameworkSchematic
PHILOSOPHY
CONTEXT
BackgroundJurisdictional arrangements
Legislative powers
Purpose of framework
Intended audience
PRINCIPLES
Precautionary Prevention Risk management
Options hierarchy SustainabilityNational / international
obligations
PRACTICE
GUIDANCE
Remediation (action) plan Development
Remediation (action) plan Implementation
Post–remediation
Regulatory considerations Health and safety Remediation validation and closure
Site specific remediation objectives Stakeholder engagement Long-term monitoring
Identifying remedial options Documentation and record-keeping Auditing/third party review
Selection of remedial technologies
Institutional controls
Treatability studies
Cost-benefit and sustainability analysis
National Remediation FrameworkSpecific guidelines
Site-specific remediation objectives
Conceptual site model (from site assessment)
Risk based approach– environmental values/beneficial uses– proposed land use– residual contamination
• intergenerational equity• institutional controls• liability/financial assurance
Small sites– default values (health investigation levels??)
National Remediation FrameworkSpecific guidelines
Identifying remedial options
Selection of remedial technologies
Treatability studies
Soils Groundwater Vapour• Cover and cap• Containment• Stabilisation/solidification/
fixation• Bio-remediation/ORC
/phyto-remediation• Washing/physical
separation• Thermal desorption
• Air sparging/injection/vapour extraction
• ISCO/CISCO• Skimmers• Monitored natural attenuation• Barrier systems/ permeable
reactive barriers/cut-off wall• Funnel gate• Pump and treat
• Soil vapour [vapour extraction/ carbon canisters/ venting]
National Remediation FrameworkSpecific guidelines
Cost-benefit and sustainability analysis– assist decision makers in selecting remediation strategy and technology
– taking into account• existing CBA guidance – Commonwealth, States• magnitude and duration of remediation projects• tiered approach
– sustainability parameters - similarities with SURF-UK indicators• parameters – monetised; quantified; qualitative• choice and weighting of parameters (in conjunction with regulator)• sensitivity analysis
– Excel spreadsheet based tool
National Remediation FrameworkSchematic
PHILOSOPHY
CONTEXT
BackgroundJurisdictional arrangements
Legislative powers
Purpose of framework
Intended audience
PRINCIPLES
Precautionary Prevention Risk management
Options hierarchy SustainabilityNational / international
obligations
PRACTICE
GUIDANCE
Remediation (action) plan Development
Remediation (action) plan Implementation
Post–remediation
Regulatory considerations Health and safety Remediation validation and closure
Site specific remediation objectives Stakeholder engagement Long-term monitoring
Identifying remedial options Documentation and record-keeping Auditing/third party review
Selection of remedial technologies
Institutional controls
Treatability studies
Cost-benefit and sustainability analysis
National Remediation FrameworkSpecific draft guidelines
Health and safety– previous NEPM included information on WHS during assessment
– current NEPM does not
– this draft guideline• based on harmonised national model work health and safety laws• utilises information from previous NEPM
Stakeholder engagement– NEPM includes stakeholder engagement during assessment
– this draft guideline: develop a stakeholder engagement plan
Documentation, record keeping and reporting– focuses on the types of information required by jurisdictions, not processes
National Remediation FrameworkSchematic
PHILOSOPHY
CONTEXT
BackgroundJurisdictional arrangements
Legislative powers
Purpose of framework
Intended audience
PRINCIPLES
Precautionary Prevention Risk management
Options hierarchy SustainabilityNational / international
obligations
PRACTICE
GUIDANCE
Remediation (action) plan Development
Remediation (action) plan Implementation
Post–remediation
Regulatory considerations Health and safety Remediation validation and closure
Site specific remediation objectives Stakeholder engagement Long-term monitoring
Identifying remedial options Documentation and record-keeping Auditing/third party review
Selection of remedial technologies
Institutional controls
Treatability studies
Cost-benefit and sustainability analysis
National Remediation FrameworkSpecific draft guidelines
Post-remedial validation and closure
Auditing
Institutional controls
Long term monitoring
– harmonise processes and requirements across jurisdictions, where possible
– highlight issues to be considered, if adopting management methods
– in preparation
National Remediation FrameworkConsultation
Draft guidelines– NRFSG endorses release for consultation
Consultation
with Government– with advice from NRFSG government members
with Industry/Practitioners– with advice from NRFSG industry members– from ALGA and ACLCA– Policy Advisory Committee– www.crccare.com [password from ALGA and ACLCA]
with Public– developing community forum– www.crccare.com– Remediation Australasia
National Remediation FrameworkConsultation status
Background/foundation work– frameworks review– context and philosophy [www.crccare.com]– guidance mapping
Draft guideline development as at September 2015– Health and safety – Stakeholder engagement [www.crccare.com ] – Documentation and record keeping
– Identifying remedial options– Selection of remedial technologies– Treatability studies in preparation– Cost benefit and sustainability analysis– Remediation objectives– Post-remedial guidance
http://www.crccare.com/knowledge-sharing/national-remediation-framework
National Remediation FrameworkRefinement
Refinement of draft guidelines through – review in relation to other draft guidelines
• to ensure appropriate links between them• that they provide a complete approach, with no gaps• to determine whether further guidance is required
– review in relation to NEPM
– further consultation on complete package
Update of Framework and constituent guidelines – future updates on an as-needs basis– incorporation of other guidance eg flux
National Remediation FrameworkAdoption
The “path to adoption” of the Framework depends on – credible expertise
– involvement of stakeholders• directly (through Steering Group)• through consultation on draft guidelines
– intersection with Governments• through Steering Group membership• Heads of EPAs
Acceptance and adoption – under the umbrella of Heads of EPAs
National Remediation FrameworkInformation
– information paper for Heads of EPAs
– information paper for industry at www.crccare.com
– Technical Reports at www.crccare.com
– stakeholder representatives on the NRF Steering Group
– conferences – e.g. CleanUp 2015
– webinars
– industry briefings – e.g. Master Builders Assn, ACLCA
– www.crccare.com
National Remediation FrameworkSchematic
PHILOSOPHY
CONTEXT
BackgroundJurisdictional arrangements
Legislative powers
Purpose of framework
Intended audience
PRINCIPLES
Precautionary Prevention Risk management
Options hierarchy SustainabilityNational / international
obligations
PRACTICE
GUIDANCE
Remediation (action) plan Development
Remediation (action) plan Implementation
Post–remediation
Regulatory considerations Health and safety Remediation validation and closure
Site specific remediation objectives Stakeholder engagement Long-term monitoring
Identifying remedial options Documentation and record-keeping Auditing/third party review
Selection of remedial technologies
Institutional controls
Treatability studies
Cost-benefit and sustainability analysis
National Remediation FrameworkImplications
The National Remediation Framework is expected to
– provide a structure for thinking through remedial strategies
– systematise practices currently being applied to many sites
– provide more rigorous approach for considering issues
– reduce risk of adoption of poor strategic options
– provide seamless linkages with the NEPM and current state legislation
– provide a more sustainable approach to remediation and management
http://www.crccare.com/knowledge-sharing/national-remediation-framework
Thank you
www.crccare.com