Slide 1 – Title slide
Remote Australia and asbestos Michael Davis and Kasman Spencer
Slide 2 – Introduction
• The Central Desert, MacDonnell and Barkly Regional Councils are working with the support of Asbestos Safety Eradication Agency (ASEA) to address legacy asbestos waste in remote communities.
• The councils had identified a health issue from legacy asbestos around a large percentage their remote communities and set about obtaining funding to start addressing the issue.
Slide 3 – Project Scope
• 1 million square kilometres and targeting the Yuendumu, Papunya and Ali Curung communities
• The aim is to map legacy asbestos waste in those areas.
Slide 4 – Objectives & deliverables
• Objective: to determine legacy asbestos levels in areas surrounding the targeted communities.
• The key deliverables are:
• Production of community legacy asbestos map
• Production of management plan for each location
• Identification of asbestos zones in close proximity to communities
• Production of a 3-stage strategy (identification-isolation-removal)
Slide 5 – Council jobs creation
• Legacy asbestos waste mapping
• Asbestos area fencing and signage installation and maintenance
• Licenced asbestos disposal site operation and maintenance
• Legacy asbestos waste clean-up and site rehabilitation
• Monitoring of illegal asbestos dumping
• Monthly Site Audits
Slide 6
Slide 7 – Results to date
Milestone 1 & 2:
• Project plan submitted to ASEA, desktop analysis and pre-audit packaging - 100% complete
• Innovative use of data collection Storage and Reporting with Global Information Systems programme – 100% Complete
Slide 8 – Results to date
Milestone 3:
• Complete and report the site surveys and sampling – 50% complete
• Initial assessment of need for asbestos waste facilities at Ali Curung and Papunya made – 33% complete
• Recommendations for remediation plans prepared – 33% complete
Slide 9 – Results to date
Milestone 4:
Finalise mapping activity: Ali Curung and Papunya waste disposal sites will be licenced to receive regional asbestos waste – 40% complete
Final report of mapping activities and evidence of licence of facilities at Ali Curung and Papunya to receive asbestos waste – not yet commenced
Slide 9 – Case study: Yuendumu
Slide 10 – Conclusion
Challenges
• new and innovative approaches required
• distance
• Currently capability and finding skilled people
• Community historical waste management practices
Benefits