FOR THE first time in 40 years the leaking of contaminated material from Urunga’s derelict antimony site on Hillside Dr into the neighbouring wetland has been plugged.
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This milestone, although little heralded, was passed last week when the stripping of the wetland was completed.
In the early 70s, the site was a processing plant for antimony, a toxic mineral used as a flame retardant and also in batteries. Abandoned in 1974, the site with its heavy metal tailings remained un-remediated until 2011 when ownership was transferred to the Department of Primary Industries and became Crown land.
A remedial action plan was then developed with boots and machines on the ground since July last year.
Project manager, NSW Soil Conservation Service’s Clayton Colmer said it was a relief to know that contaminants had now been stripped from the wetland and the arsenic-rich tailings contained.
*See next week's Courier Sun for the full story
