Toxic-Chemical-Leakage-Outside-Waste-Depot

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1997 REPORT SHOWSTOXIC CHEMICAL

LEAKAGEOUTSIDE TOXICDEPOT

ByMurrayS.Thompson (BAppSciEnvironmentalHealthwithDistinction1998,HonsISocialEcology1999,UniversityofWesternSydney)Copyright1998,2010

http://poisonedpeople.comhttp://poisoningandlegalaction.com.au/mcs.htm

EMAIL: [email protected](toJune1997)Reportonthegroundwater

monitoringprogramattheCastlereaghWasteDepotclearly

showsthatthedepotisleaking.

Boresalongtheperimeterofthedepot,alongwithboreslocatedmore

thanhalfakilometeroutsidethedepotindicateadisturbingarrayoftoxiccontaminants.

WhichContaminantsandWhere?SeveralorganiccompoundshavebeenfoundinBore943a(seeFigure1,page4),whichislocatedonthesoutheastperimeter,onLlandiloRoadandjustovertheroadfrom

FifthRdinBerkshirePark. VolumeIoftheReportspecificallynotesthatBore943a

containedseveralorganiccompoundssimilartothosefoundinonsitebores(ADI

1997a:52).

Volatilehalogenatedcompounds(VHCs)(including1,1dichloroethane,chloroform,

methylenechloride(dichloromethane)andtrichloroethene),totalpetroleum

hydrocarbons(TPH)(ADI1997a:20;1997b:AppendixB),andthesemivolatileorganic

isophorone(detectedbeforeJanuary1997[1997b:AppendixB])werefound.

Toluene,methylethylketone,andmethylisobutylketonearelistedamongthe

contaminantsfoundingroundwateratthisboresite(ADI1997a:2021).


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ThestoryofchemicalleakagecontinueswithBores942C,locatedjustinsidethenorth

eastperimeter,and941(ontheperimeter,southoftheJohnMoronyCorrectional

Centre). 942CshowedmoderateconcentrationsofTPHs(0.856mg/L)andlow

concentration[s]offormaldehyde(1.3mg/L). 941alsodemonstratedthepresenceof

TPHsinthegroundwater,includingtoluene(ADI1997a:22). Itisimportanttonotehere

thattheADIReportoftennotesthatcontaminantswerenotdetectedbeforethistest

period. Thisclearlyshowscontaminantmovement. However,theobvioussourceof

thesetoxicwastescannotbeestablishedwithcertainty,accordingtotheseexperts.

Proposedsourcesaregivenasalocalsourceorcrosscontaminationoftheboresduring

drillingandinstallation(ADI1997a:22).

Withwastesindicatedalongtwosidesofthedepot,weshouldthenaskifchemicalsare

indicatedasleakingbeyondtheperimeter. Yestheyare. Thesouthandthewesternperimeters

have

offsite

bores

that

clearly

contain

indicators

of

toxic

chemical

wastes.

First,Bore317A,locatedonthesouthernperimetershowsupwardtrendsinthechlorinatedhydrocarbons1,1dichloroethaneand ethene,cis1,2 dichloroetheneand

trichloroethene(ADI1997a:42).

Next,Bores904,905,906,969andOSMB5,locatedfrom200to500metersoutsidethisperimeter,havevaryingindicationsofthefollowingchemicals:chloroform,

trichloroflouromethaneandvinylchloride.

What

are

these

chemicals

doing

outsidethe

depot

in

the

groundwater?

Probably

the

sameastheTPHs,tolueneandVHCsintheperimeterbores941and943A:migrating!

BoreOSMB2,locatedoffsiteandacrossTheNorthernRoadfromthedepot,indicates

0.083mg/LofTPHsinJune1997(ADI1997a:Table12F1),alongwithtracesofarsenic,

cobalt,phenol,dinbutylpthalate,andbutylbenzylpthalate(ADI1997a:Table12F2).

Upgradients,perchedgroundwatersandchemicaldiffusionItwasnotedintheReportthatBores905andOSMB5arelocatedupgradienttothe

WMC (ADI1997a:27). Thewordingimpliesthatthechloroformingroundwaterin

thesetwoborescouldnotbesourcedfromthedepot. Furthertothis,thepresenceof

thechloroform,

as

with

other

chemicals

found

in

bores

along

the

depot

perimeter,

is

consideredtorepresentananomaly(ADI1997a:27). Ananomalyiswhatyoucalla

situationwhenyoudontwanttocallitwhatitreallyis: chemicalleakagefromasource

containingonemilliontonnesofliquidwaste...dumpedatCastlereaghoverthepast20

years(Kerr,1995:3).

Perchedgroundwaters:thistermhasdevelopedamythicalqualityoverthepastfewyearswithregardtoWasteServiceNSW(WSNSW)andotherauthoritiesusageofit. It

isatermthatmagicallyexplains,withouteverprovidingrationalandphysicalproof,

whythegroundwatersbeneaththedepotaresomehowtotallyisolatedfromallother


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geologicalstructures. AccordingtoWSNSWtheory,chemicalscannotcrossthisbarrier

andescapeintogroundwatersadjacenttothedepot.

Modernresearchintolandfilltechnology,however,contradictsADIupgradient

insinuationsandexoticperchedgroundwatertheories. Note:

Theobjectiveofcontrollingthehydraulicconductivityisclearlyoneoflimiting

advectivecontaminanttransport(iethemovementofcontaminantswithmoving

water)throughtheliner. However,despitemorethanadecadeofresearchand

theexistenceofgoodsupportingfielddata,itisonlyrecentlythatithasbeen

generallyrecognizedthatthereisasecondcontaminanttransportprocesswhich

willoccureventhroughaverylowhydraulicconductivityclayliner:thatprocess

ischemicaldiffusion. ...diffusionmaybethedominantcontaminanttransport

mechanisminawellconstructedclayliner. Furthermore,contaminantscan

escapefrom

awaste

disposal

site,

by

diffusion

through

aliner,

even

ifwater

flow

inthelinerisintothelandfill(Rowe1994:219)(emphasisadded).

WhenoneaddsanEPAadmissionofchemicalleakagefromwastecellsinto

groundwaterbeneaththedepot(EPAofficial1995,pers.comm.,26April[recordedat

theCommunityMonitoringCommitteemeetingatthePenrithCityCouncilChambers])

totheabovescientificresearch,itbecomesalltooclearthatTHEWASTEDEPOTIS

LEAKING.
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Figure1 SitePlanandLocationofMonitoringBoreholes(additional bore locations added as large diamond

shapes)(WasteServiceNSW1996:Appendix1)

317A

OSMB2

312A

904

OSMB59

05

CASTLEREAGH

STATEFOREST


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Surfaceand

bore

water

tests

on

aproperty

2km

south

west

of

the

Castlereagh

Waste

Depotconfirmthepresenceoflargeamountsofsodiumchloride,phosphorusand

cadmium.

Althoughnotactinginaprofessionalcapacity,UniversityofWesternSydney

Hawkesburystudentsduring1995/96foundevidenceoftheabovechemicalsonafarm

propertylocatedjust2kmfromthedepot. Inthecaseofthetoxicheavymetal

cadmiumfoundinthepropertysborewater,thelaboratorydeterminationofasignificantlevelof1.2084ppm(1,208ppb)wasmadebyTechnicalOfficersatthe

University. Thislevel,accordingtofiguressetbyAlloway(1990:31)is604.2%greater

than

the

normal

lithosphere

(rocky

crust)

concentration

and

2014%

beyond

normal

soil

levels.

Variousstudieshavebeenaccessedforthissectioninordertodeterminethetoxicities

ofsomeBoreandpropertychemicals.

Cadmium,andotherheavymetalsaretoxicatquitelowconcentrations(Cresser,

Killham&Edwards1993:152). Cadmiumisimplicatedinbonedeformations(Rowland

&Cooper

1983:170),

the

longterm

development

of

obstructive

pulmonary

disease

and

emphysema(Philp1995:141), carcenogenicityinanimalsandhumans(ONeill&Dodet

1985:10),andnephrotoxicity(WHO1989:168).

Vinylchloride(Bores904,905,906,969andOSMB5)causesliver,brain,lungand

lymphoidtissuecancer(Siemiatycki1995:103104)andisaskinirritant(Rowland&

Cooper1983:176).Italsoinducestumoursofthebloodintheoccupationallyexposed

andisasuspectedmutagen(Alloway&Ayres1993:216).Chloroform(fouroftheaboveBores)isimplicatedincancer(Philp1995:81;Alloway&

Ayers1993:216)

and

hepato

(liver)

and

nephro

(kidneys)

toxicity

(Philp

1995:152).

Toluene(Bores941and943A),anorganicsolvent,isamucousmembraneandskin

irritant(Rowland&Cooper1983:174).Moredisturbingly,tolueneisdescribedasa

neurotoxinwhichisabsorbedthroughthelungsInthisrespect,itcaninducemild

abnormalitiesoftheCNS[and]deathduetoitsinhalationhasoccurredasaresultof

solventabuse(Alloway&Ayres1993:44;216). Methylethylketone(Bore943A)can

causedermatitisandhasanirritantactionontheeyesandrespiratorysystem

(Rowland&Cooper1983:175).

Student Research Confirms Chemicals on Property

How Toxic Are These Chemicals?


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Formaldehyde(Bore942C)isarespiratoryirritantandasuspectedcarcinogen(Rowland

&Cooper1983:173).

Arsenic(BoreOSMB2)causesliverandlungcancer(Rowland&Cooper1983:58),aswell

asskincancer(Sunderman1985:17).

Phenol(BoreOSMB2)iscorrosiveandpoisonous(Aviado1976:1068)andcancause

vomiting,eyeandrespiratoryproblems (Bender1991). Further,phenolcauses

changestoenzymeswithintheendoplasmicreticulum(incells),particularlyintheliver,

butalsothekidneys,lungsandintestines(Alloway&Ayers1993:210).

Chlorinatedhydrocarbons(Bore317A)promoteallergicreactionssuchasdermatitisand

arealsonarcotizingagents(Rowland&Cooper1983:1767). Theseverypersistent

contaminantshave

ahigh

potential

for

human

toxicity

indicated

by

reproductive

defectsinphytoplanktonand,inmammalsandbirds,microsomalenzymeinduction[a

modificationimposedongermcells(Kellogg1976:702)],tumorpromotion,estrogenic

effectsandimmunosuppression(Philp1995:77).

Trichloroethene(Bores317Aand943A)isanorganicsolventthatpromotesdermatitis

andhasnarcotizingeffects(Rowland&Cooper1983:1767). Itshouldbenotedhere

that1,1,1trichloroethane hasproduceddeathsinacuteoccupationalexposureand

heartfailurethroughsolventabuse(Alloway&Ayres1993:217).

Dichloromethane

(Bore

943A)

converts

to

carbon

monoxide

which

forms

carboxyhemoglobinintheredbloodcells(Philp1995:153),thusreducingoxygenation

andimpairingrespiration.

ItmustbepointedoutherethatresidentsaroundtheCastlereaghWasteDepotcanbe

exposedtofumesandliquidleachates24hoursaday,thisbeingafarmorecritical

situationthanmonitoredoccupationalexposurestochemicals. Itisnowonder,then,thatteratogenicimpactsonlivestockandhumanshavebeennotedbythelandholders

onadisturbinglyregularbasis.

Theabovelistedconvergenceofchemicalanalytesfoundintestboresontheperimeter

andoutsidetheCastlereaghWasteDepotandthesymptomatologyalsolisted,critically

synchronizeswiththeillnessesexperiencedbyLondonderryresidentslivingclosetothe

depot.

Itmaybethesadtruththattoxicchemicals,disposedofbywayofacruelpartnership

betweenanaberranttechnologysintractableanddangerouswastesandagenerally

Requiem
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negativegovernmentalviewofworkingclass/ruralareas,arecripplingtheproductive

potentialoftheLondonderryregion. Andsincetheliquidwastesburiedatthedepot

havepermeatedextensively,itmaybeveryreasonablyconcludedthatthesustainability

oftheselands hasbeenandwillbe,foralongtimeintothefuture,severely

compromised.

REFERENCESADILimited1997a,HalfYearlyReporttoJune1997:GroundwaterMonitoringProgramCastlereaghWasteManagementCentre Volume1,ADILimtedEnvironmentalConsulting,SilverwaterNSWAustralia.

ADILimited1997b,HalfYearlyReporttoJune1997:GroundwaterMonitoringProgramCastlereaghWasteManagementCentre Volume2,ADILimtedEnvironmentalConsulting,Silverwater

NSW

Australia.

Alloway,B.J.andAyres,D.C.1993,ChemicalPrinciplesofEnvironmentalPollution,BlackieAcademic&Professional(AnImprintofChapman&Hall),Glascow,UK.

Aviado,D.M.1976,Phenol,inStedmansMedicalDictionary,23rdEdn,TheWilliams&WilkinsCompany,BaltimoreMdUSA.

Bender,J.1991,Govtsays:dontworry,behappy,PenrithPress,4June.Cresser,M.,Killham,K.,andEdwards,T.1993,SoilChemistryanditsApplications,PressSyndicate

of

the

University

of

Cambridge,

Cambridge

England.

Kellogg,R.H.Induction,inStedmansMedicalDictionary,23rdEdn,TheWilliams&WilkinsCompany,BaltimoreMdUSA.

Kerr,P.1995,Toxictiptoclose,PenrithPress,April25.ONeill,I.K.andDodet,B.1985,Considerationsofsampling,interactionsandIARCevaluations

forthisgroupofelements,inEnvironmentalCarcinogens:SelectedMethodsofAnalysis,edsI.K.ONeill,P.Schuller&L.Fishbein,InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer,LyonCedex

08,France.

Philp,R.B.1995,EnvironmentalHazards&HumanHealth,LewisPublishers(CRCPress,Inc.)FL,USA.Rowe,R.K.1994,Diffusivetransportofpollutantsthroughclayliners,inLandfillingofWaste:Barriers,eds,T.H.Christensen,R.CossuandR.Stagmann,E.&F.N.Spon,London,UK.

Rowland,A.JandCooper,P.1983,EnvironmentandHealth,EdwardArnold(Publishers)LtdLondon.


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Siemiatycki,J. 1995,RiskFactorsforCancerintheOccupationalEnvironmentandRelevant

EpidemiologicStudyMethods,inIntroductiontoEnvironmentalEpidemiology,EdsE.O.Talbott&G.F.Craun,CRCPress,Inc.BocaRaton,FL,USA.

Sunderman,F.W.1985,CarcinogenicityandMutagenicityofSomeMetalsandtheir

Compounds,inEnvironmentalCarcinogens:SelectedMethodsofAnalysis,edsI.K.ONeill,P.Schuller&L.Fishbein,InternationalAgencyforResearchonCancer,LyonCedex08,France.

WasteServiceNSW1996,CastlereaghWasteManagementCentreClosurePlan(Revision2),WasteServiceNSW,ChatswoodNSWAustralia.

WHO1989,ToxicologicalEvaluationofCertainFoodAdditivesandContaminants,CambridgeUniversityPress,CambridgeUK.
http://www.healthyworldaffiliates.com/1628

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