Site Contamination Review

The Board-appointed committee was chaired by Cheryl Batagol, Chair of the Vistorian EPA and made up of senior state government members and public health experts, and reviewed areas including testing, monitoring and communicating historic site contamination, particularly in the way that potential health risks are prioritised.

The report’s 11 recommendations cover five themes of: working together; building capability; working with the community; transparency and accountability; and urban renewal – unlocking potential.

EPA CE Tony Circelli welcomed the review and its findings.

“We have already begun reviewing and improving our engagement with communities around contaminated sites, and we will work through the committee’s recommendations to ensure we continue to improve the management of South Australia’s legacy issues from our industrial heritage.”

Committee chair Cheryl Batagol said the committee concluded that legacy site contamination is generally well managed but there were opportunities to improve, particularly in relation to interagency coordination, capability, community engagement and transparency.

“The EPA has procedures and protocols for regulating site contamination, which were applied in the case of Clovelly Park. However, they were not able to deal with the significant controversy and heightened public interest that arose in this instance,” added Ms Batagol. 

“In undertaking this review, the Committee listened to members of the community and organisations about their issues of most concern. This often had to do with the expectation to be engaged early, regularly and effectively; and having certainty that contamination is effectively managed.”

Mr Circelli said that South Australia has made significant progress in managing site contamination in the past five years since legislative provisions were introduced in July 2009.

“The reforms realised through this review, along with the ongoing review of our practices and learning from Australian and overseas EPAs, will only further our efforts to better address legacy issues and importantly ensure that the community is more involved and engaged in this work.

“Through the ongoing review of our practices, South Australians can be confident that the most effective practices will be employed in SA, and that SA remains at the forefront of proactively dealing with site contamination in Australia.”

A copy of the Committee’s report is available on the EPA website.