Soil Contamination at 6-10 Lace St Eumemmerring Vic 3177

JBS&G was commissioned by International Property Group (IPG) to undertake a Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) at 142–6–10 Lace St Eumemmerring VIC 3177. It is understood that IPG has been appointed by Fairfax Media, as its strategic property advisor on this site, to provide advice regarding potential environmental liabilities before a possible sale/leaseback arrangement. This area in its entirety is herein referred to as "the site".
The aim of the Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) was to identify site contamination issues associated with past and present land use at the site and surrounding sites which may significantly impact the future use or development of the site, or pose probable human health and/or environmental risks. During the mid to late 1970s, the site ownership changed hands resulting in the clearing of all existing improvements, and a warehouse occupying the eastern portion of the site was constructed. It was at this time that publishing started at the site and this warehouse is now the current main office building at the site. A site representative indicated that a decommissioned, likely unleaded petrol, UST is present at the site. The location of the UST is not known, however, a concrete cut identified in the southwest corner of the site may be evidence of the decommissioning.
The exception is the presence of a petrol UST, which was identified through interviews with site personnel and government records. The government records show the UST is 30,000 L, was installed circa the mid-1980s, and is of steel construction. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the UST was decommissioned circa 2000, however, there is no supporting documentation and no known accompanying environmental report.
Given the age of the UST, its steel construction, and its uncertain current status, there is a risk of past releases to the subsurface which may represent a financial liability and/or unacceptable human health or ecological risk. The further assessment would be required to quantify this risk.
About Soil Inspection
JBS&G was commissioned by International Property Group (IPG) to undertake a Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) at 6–10 Lace St Eumemmerring VIC 3177. It is understood that IPG has been appointed by Fairfax Media, as its strategic property advisor on this site, to provide advice regarding potential environmental liabilities before a possible sale/leaseback arrangement. This area in its entirety is herein referred to as "the site".
The PSI aimed to identify site contamination issues associated with past and present land use at the site and surrounding sites which may significantly impact the future use or development of the site, or pose unacceptable human health and/or environmental risks.
Site Details of 6–10 Lace St Eumemmerring VIC 3177
The location of the site, and the boundaries of the investigation, are shown in Figure 1. Site details are presented in Table 1. Site photographs are included in Appendix A. The Certificates of Title are attached in Appendix B.
Table 1 - Site Details
Category Details
Street Address 6–10 Lace St Eumemmerring VIC 3177
Allotment Details Certificate of Title for above address - Volume 10266 Folio 826
Area of Site Approximately 7,000 m2
Current Land Use The main site building, located to the east of the site, is a warehouse-style structure utilized as office space. The site is currently tenanted by Metro Media Publishing which produces newspapers. The office comprises a reception area, partitioned offices, and open-plan workstations. The central and western portion of the site is a car park with an iron shed occupying the northwest corner.
Municipality: City of Casey
Zoning Industrial 1 Zone (IN1Z)
Schedule to the Industrial 1 Zone
Planning Overlays None
Review on Soil Contamination
The soil contamination present at the site is a result of past and/or current land uses. The soil contamination does not appear to be related to any off-site sources. The soil contamination identified during the Phase I ESA represents a potential environmental liability and/or unacceptable human health or ecological risk that should be further assessed.
A desktop review was undertaken to identify potential soil contamination issues associated with past and present land use at the site and surrounding sites which may significantly impact the future use or development of the site, or pose unacceptable human health and/or environmental risks. This information was used to direct field activities during the Phase I ESA.
The following sections present a summary of findings from the literature review, an evaluation of historical aerial photographs, and an assessment of regulatory databases.
Findings from the Review
A soil and groundwater contamination plume extends to the northeast of the site, under Lace Street (Figure la). The soil and groundwater contamination is associated with a former dry cleaning business that operated on an adjacent property to the north until at least 1985. This business was likely located at the current site of Metro Media Publishing. A soil sample collected by JBS&G during field activities had elevated concentrations of tetrachloroethene (PCE) in the soil gas. This result is consistent with the past use of PCE-based dry cleaning solvents at the site.
The historical aerial photographs reviewed as part of this investigation indicate that a building, believed to be the former dry cleaning business, was constructed on the site in 1957 (Figure lb). The building was located in the northeastern corner of the site and extended towards Lace Street. By 1965, the building had been removed from the site (Figure lc). It is unclear whether any soil contamination associated with the past use of the dry cleaning business was remediated before the construction of the current office building in 1978.
A soil and groundwater contamination plume extends to the northeast of the site, under Lace Street (Figure la). The soil and groundwater contamination is associated with a former dry cleaning business that operated on an adjacent property to the north until at least 1985. This business was likely located at the current site of Metro Media Publishing. A soil sample collected by JBS&G during field activities had elevated concentrations of tetrachloroethene (PCE) in the soil gas. This result is consistent with the past use of PCE-based dry cleaning solvents at the site.
The historical aerial photographs reviewed as part of this investigation indicate that a building, believed to be the former dry cleaning business, was constructed on the
The literature review also identified a potential source of soil contamination located on an adjoining property to the south, across Lace Street. This property is occupied by a auto wreckers and a workshop ("vehicle recycling"). A desktop search of regulatory databases did not identify any historical environmental investigation or remediation at this property.
The Used Car Dealership has been in operation since at least 1965 (Figure lc). A soil and groundwater contamination plume extends from the Used Car Dealership, under Lace Street, and towards the site (Figure la). The soil and groundwater contamination is likely to be associated with the past disposal of used oils and other automotive fluids on the property. It is possible that this soil contamination was a contributing factor to the soil contamination identified at the site during the Phase I ESA.
The following sections present a summary of findings from the literature review, an evaluation of historical aerial photographs, and an assessment of regulatory databases.