Antidote found for toxic land

By Shaun Inguanzo
FLOODPRONE land plagued with deadly toxins will be transformed into a $150 million industrial and commercial nerve centre.
Melbourne Water and VicUrban last week announced a joint plan to rehabilitate a 180hectare disused Melbourne Water sewerage plant at Dandenong South into an industrial, logistical and commercial hub.
The former Melbourne Water sewerage plant near Greens and Hammond Roads was decommissioned in 1996.
VicUrban documents confirm it will be renamed Dandenong Logis and will contain more than 500,000 square metres of commercial and industrial space, along with an adjoining residential estate, north of the Dandenong South Bypass.
The commercial and industrial land will connect directly to the northsouth Eastlink tollway and to the eastwest Dandenong South Bypass, both scheduled to be completed by 2008.
VicUrban will release land for sale over three years, beginning next year for its residential space, with manufacturing sites available in 2007 and the bulk of logistical, commercial and industrial sites in 2008.
VicUrban expects to complete the entire project by 2013.
But concern was raised last week by Greater Dandenong flood researcher Alan Hood that toxins found in the soil – and the potential for the land to flood – could pose large challenges to the development.
Mr Hood said he had recently been approached by Melbourne Water and invited to be a part of its public consultation for Logis, which will begin in December.
He said harmful dioxins were airborne around grassed areas on the disused land, and large piles of ‘biosolid’ – a sandy, evaporated form of sewerage – contained further toxins including mercury and cadmium.
But he said it was possible to fully rehabilitate the land, and applauded the Melbourne Water suggestion that waste would be entombed under an estimated 12hectare parkland in a nonpermeable seal.
Mr Hood said he would raise concerns over flooding with Melbourne Water after noting the grade of the land was lower than surrounding properties.
Melbourne Water research and technology manager Peter Scott said the cost of entombing the waste was not determined but would fall under the $50 million chunk of funding allocated solely for rehabilitating the land.
He said this would be a firsttime project for Melbourne Water, which was yet to confirm exactly how it would rehabilitate the land, but the ‘waste tomb’ would be covered by open space, parkland, wetlands, and shared pedestrian and bike paths.
Mr Scott said Melbourne Water would ensure the site was rehabilitated to a state in which it would be “no risk to anybody”.
The Dandenong Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association has thrown its support behind the aim of the project.
President Jim Houlahan said the group would make a submission during the public consultation period.
City of Greater Dandenong’s development services director Mal Baker welcomed the project, saying it would provide a boost to employment, business and lifestyle growth.