Tarago rail yards lead contamination

Reviewed

As part of the Tarago Rail Loop Extension, soils contaminated by lead have been detected in the rail yard at Tarago.

Latest update

Routine track maintenance in Tarago from 20 April

The NSW Government will carry out track maintenance and resurfacing at the Tarago rail yard to ensure the safety and efficiency of the rail network. We will be adjusting railway sleeper heights and adding ballast along two sections of the rail track.

We will be working for three days from Tuesday 20 April to Thursday 22 April between 6am and 4.30pm, weather permitting.

There may be some dust impacts associated with this work. We will make every effort to minimise dust by wetting the site before we start work and by closely monitoring the job. The Environment Manager will be on site at all times during the work to monitor the dust impacts. 

To find out more and view a map of the maintenance locations, please read the latest community notification.

 

Community information sessions

To keep the Tarago community informed of the investigation into lead contaminated soil at the rail yard and the required actions, we have carried out a number of community information sessions. In line with current NSW Government restrictions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, since March 2020 these sessions have been carried out via video conferences.

Thursday 10 December 2020 recording

Information from the livestream event:

A copy of the presentation.

The Questions and Answers provided in written form.

Thursday 14 May 2020 recording

The Questions and Answers from the livestream event have been provided in written form.

This information pack (PDF, 1.96 MB) provides information on what we have done so far, what the test results show, explanation of the Voluntary Management Proposal (VMP) and what the next steps are.

Tuesday 7 April 2020

This information pack (PDF, 2.18 MB) provides an outline of actions taken since the last community information session and details of the results found to date during the extensive lead testing program.  

Monday 9 March 2020

A community information session was held at the Tarago hall on Monday 9 March 2020 to discuss the December 2019 test results with the community.

Presentations from the information session:

Summary of questions and answers from the information session:

Tarago Public School Testing

Further information referred to in the questions and answers:

Community notifications

Relevant information

For more information about lead exposure, please see advice from NSW Health.

For more information about managing lead in the environment see the EPA fact sheet.

Background

In 2015 a preliminary environmental investigation report was prepared as part of the planning stage of the Tarago rail loop extension project.

This report identified lead contamination at the Tarago rail yard and assessed the potential impacts to human health from lead contamination to workers during the construction of the project.

A plan was developed for on-site controls that would mitigate risks to the health of workers and the project design was changed to reduce the amount of lead contaminated soil that would be disturbed by the works.

A timeline showing some of the relevant dates is set out below:

  • Initial project planning for the Tarago rail loop extension project was carried out in 2015 
  • From July 2019, and before carrying out construction work in identified lead-impacted areas of the rail corridor, additional soil testing was done to confirm the extent of lead contaminated soils impacting the project in the rail corridor
  • July to August 2019, excavation work was carried out in non-lead contaminated areas
  • August to October 2019, minor excavation work was carried out in an area identified as lower lead contaminated
  • The further testing that commenced in July 2019 was finalised in late September 2019, and determined the level and extent of contamination present in the rail corridor. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Comcare and Council were notified in November 2019
  • November 2019, following the notification to the EPA, Comcare and Council, excavation work and stockpiling was carried out in a higher lead contaminated area using approved controls 
  • December 2019, the EPA requested further testing to identify if lead contamination was present in multiple areas surrounding the rail yard, including one private property
  • December 2019 to January 2020, work was carried out in non-lead contaminated areas
  • December 2019, further testing was carried out and the results of these tests were made available in late January 2020. This testing identified lead in excess of acceptable limits at one property outside the rail yard. The owner of the property was notified in February 2020.

The Tarago community has been notified of the results from the December 2019 testing. Further soil and water testing started in March 2020 to validate the results. 

Reports relating to the project

Voluntary Management Proposal

The Voluntary Management Proposal (PDF, 160.3 KB) has been approved by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. 

The VMP primarily focuses on the land in the rail corridor as the declared area of contamination, however will include investigation of potential offsite impacts.

An interim site management plan has been developed to ensure immediate health risks from rail corridor contamination are managed for the community and workers.

Contact us

Phone number: 02 4907 7525

Email: JHRcorres@transport.nsw.gov.au

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