EXCLUSIVE
Almost all of Sunshine’s CBD will be investigated for possible soil contamination following the discovery of a range of toxic contaminates in underground water reserves.
AGCO Australia Limited, the owner of the 30-hectare Massey Ferguson site, also known as the Sunshine Harvester Works site, was on Monday issued a notice requiring it to test for underground contamination.
The site was developed in the 1990s and is now home to Sunshine Marketplace, Sunshine Plaza, Sunshine Magistrates Court, Sunshine police station, and a range of other government and commercial buildings.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria chief executive Nial Finegan said the notice requires AGCO to undertake a comprehensive groundwater assessment to check for toxins.
The Massey Ferguson complex, which is bound by Devonshire, Hampshire and Harvester roads, and includes the former quarry on the corner of Service and George streets, was one of Australia’s largest manufacturing plants in the mid-1950s.
It was taken over by Massey Ferguson in 1921 and used to build tools and equipment. The quarry was used as a dam for the disposal of liquid and solid waste from Massey Ferguson’s factory. The factory ceased production in 1986, after nearly 80 years of intensive use.
The EPA says industrial practices at the time could have contaminated the land and groundwater. This was confirmed in 2015 when the EPA detected trichloroethylene (TCE) at the site.
TCE is a clear, sweet smelling toxic liquid that is used as a solvent. Exposure to TCE can affect developing foetuses and repeated exposure has been associated with liver, kidney, immune system and central nervous system problems.
The EPA said testing conducted between 1991 and 1997 identified widespread contamination, but there are large sections of the site that have never been subjected to testing.
Mr Finegan said the discovery of TCE two years ago led the EPA to assess indoor air at a handful of buildings on the site.
“Although these tests have provided some reassurance, a more comprehensive assessment of the risks from contamination, including groundwater, is warranted,” he said.
Brimbank council said at one point during the construction of its new Hampshire Road office, work was stopped to mitigate soil vapours impacting construction workers.
The EPA says it is unlikely that residents will be exposed to the groundwater beneath Sunshine. It is about 10 metres below the ground’s surface and is not used for drinking in the Sunshine area.
EPA will host a community drop in session regarding its groundwater investigation in Sunshine on Tuesday, June 27, from 4-7pm at Sunshine library, 301 Hampshire Road, Sunshine.
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