The Draft Australian Contaminated Land National Remediation Framework: Important Features

The Draft Australian Contaminated Land National Remediation Framework: Important Features – What Should the Industry be Considering When Preparing Comment?

The draft National Remediation Framework (“NRF”) is the outcome of several years of work by a task force of representatives from the regulatory agencies and industry, led by CRC CARE.  The NRF is envisaged to be a companion to the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (the NEPM). As such it can become a critical guidance document for the Australian contaminated sites industry - important in determining how decisions are made regarding the remediation and management of contaminated land and groundwater, and the requirements for such work.

The NRF comprises 26 modules, covering topics such as:

An introduction to the NRF and its underlying principles
Guidance on the preparation of a Remediation Action Plan including establishing remediation objectives
Guidance on the implementation of the Remediation Action Plan
Guidance on undertaking cost benefit and sustainability assessments of remediation and management options
A series of guides relating to soil remediation options and technologies
A series of guides relating to groundwater contamination treatment technologies
Guidance on post-remediation activities, including the application of institutional controls, validation and closure, and the role of auditing

In February CRC CARE will be undertaking a series of information sessions around Australia introducing the NRF, and calling for industry comment. When the modules are viewed together, the NRF is a large document, and much excellent work has been carried out.

It is important that our industry carefully considers the proposed guidance and its implications and, if necessary, suggests revisions that should be considered by the NRF working group.

It is the purpose of this webinar to assist industry by briefly outlining the framework and topics that are covered in the NRF, and to flag important content and issues that the industry might like to consider when reviewing and commenting on the document.

We hope this webinar will encourage ALGA members to prepare a comment perhaps by way of joining the ALGA working group.

About the presenters:

Dr Peter Nadebaum - GHD and Dr John Hunt - Ventia
Both Peter and John have represented ALGA on the NRF Steering Group, and have a good understanding of the content of the document. Peter has had a long involvement with both CRC CARE and ALGA, and has been accredited as an Environmental Auditor since the inception of the audit scheme in Australia. John has had a long involvement with CRC CARE and is widely recognised for his experience over many years as a contractor in undertaking major contaminated site remediation projects.