How bad is this toxic landslip? New investigation under way

THE extent of a toxic landslip, and any "human or environmental health risks", will be investigated under new orders given to Lismore City Council.

EPA TESTING: The EPA have issued Lismore Council with an order regarding the landslip and reformation of the embankment along Beardow St where historic industrial waste including coke and slag like materials, as well as bonded asbestos, was encountered. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

THE state's primary environmental regulator has confirmed it has issued Lismore City Council with a Preliminary Investigation Order which requires them to carry out contamination investigations on the road reserve on Beardow Street.

An Environmental Protection Authority spokesman said the organisation wants to determine if waste material extends beyond the area of the Lismore Heights landslip to other areas of the road reserve.

He said the council will have 90 days to provide a contamination report to the EPA to help understand the extent of the contamination and what next steps may be required.

The EPA also said there were no known health issues for residents near the road reserve.

The council confirmed they have received the order but, "cannot comment further at this stage until the contamination report is completed".

According to the EPA order, the council is directed, by no later than Thursday September 5, 2019, to engage a certified contaminated land consultant to undertake investigations at the specified land to determine several factors.

These comprise:

• The nature and extent of the contamination in soil at the specified land;
• The origins of the waste materials at the specified land; and
• Identify any human or environmental health risks from the presence of contamination at the specified land.

The order also directs the council to prepare a report detailing the results from the investigation and submit the report to the EPA by no later than 5pm on Monday November 4, 2019.

In May, The Northern Starreported a complaint had been made to the EPA about the property owned by Ken Allport.

Delays in fixing the problem were first revealed by The Northern Star in January this year and in a series of reports, followed the progress of restoration works on the privately owned land and a long-running dispute between the landowner Mr Allport, and the council.

In May Page MP Kevin Hogan announced $2.4 million of federal and state government funding to cover the multi-million repair bill to fix the landslip, which exposed toxic waste in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie in 2017.