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APPENDIX A10.1A

CONTAMINATED LAND ASSESSMENT

Contaminated Land Site Survey Details

This appendix lists lot numbers of sites and full desktop study results and the findings of site visits to each site.

DD99/372 S.D. RP (Plates 10.1 – 10.5)

Landuse Survey - STT YLT-876C and STW YLW-627C currently being issued to the site to register it as container vehicle park. Also, YLW 625-PO and YLT 888-PO will be issued to the same lot to register use as container vehicle parking, open storage of containers and ancillary uses.

Site Inspection - Northern Section is a container/open storage area. Many temporary buildings. Some petrol pumps and a chemical waste storage/disposal area. Site is roughly concreted or gravel surfaced. Spills and leakages of oil/petrol noted. Vehicle washing area. Maintenance areas. Drainage runs off into adjacent nullah/stream.

EPD have asked the occupiers to clear the site but it is still used for container storage and vehicle repair at the time of writing. One company currently occupying the site, Fai Wong Car Washing Company is a named Chemical Waste Producer (CWP) for the generation of waste oil. EPD LCO inspections have also noted spillage oil waste oil at the site.

FSD noted storage of over 1,000 litres of diesel oil.

The southern section of this Lot is a car parking area which has been concreted over fill material probably taken from the construction of the New Territories Circular Road.

Potential for Land Contamination - the waste oils and chemicals used at the northern area of the site have the potential to cause contamination. This is particularly the case where the ground surface is not fully concreted and leaching into the soil can occur. Around the chemical waste drain is an area of particular concern. Most contamination at this site is likely to be of oil origin and therefore hydrocarbons are the most likely contaminants. The southern area of Lot 372 is unlikely to be contaminated.

DD99/ 470 - 483, 486 - 493, 527, 545 - 548 (Plates10.6 – 10.10)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - Container storage, open storage and car repairs. Site is concreted in places and roughly surfaced with gravel in others. Many signs of oil spillage of varying degrees and much debris and waste strewn around the site. Pudding of water and oils is evident. Some storage of oils, lubricants, paints and solvents.

The garage occupying the site is a registered CWP for generation of waste oil. It also ahs a licence for discharge of treated effluent from car washing under the WPCO (Water Pollution Control Ordinance). EPD LCO also noted discharge of substandard effluent at the site and spillage of waste oil onto the ground. FSD noted storage of kerosene at the site.

Potential for Land Contamination - Chemicals and oils stored on site have the potential to contaminate the land. The evidence of spillage suggests that care is not being taken with their storage and handling, and the surface type is such that infiltration of contaminants can occur easily. The majority of contamination is likely to be hydrocarbons, although there could be some heavy metals, especially where scrap metal has been dumped.

DD96/352, 353, 354, 355, 423 (Plates 10.11 to 10.15)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - Sign at gate indicates that the site is a car repair workshop. Many chemical drums found in storage area at rear of site. Most containers were marked as flammable and/or harmful and included; Corilene F-326, concentrated resin, Camotex XR-5219, a white powder material and solvents reportedly used for leather. Some chemicals were observed to have been spilt in the past and photographs were taken of this, drums were also dented.

Latest site inspections confirm that all chemical storage at this site has ceased, however, historical contamination may still be present in the soil.

EPD LCO noted that the site was not registered for Chemical waste production and that waste oil had been spilled on the ground. FSD noted industrial dying agents stored at the site.

Potential for Land Contamination - Chemicals marked as harmful are stored on site, these have the potential to contaminate land and indeed, appear to have done so already as the spillage shown in Plate 10.13 suggests. Hydrocarbons are likely to be the main contaminants.

DD96/ 428 (Plate 10.16)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - Disused/abandoned pig farm, some storage of chemicals, oil drums and spillage around them. Access to the lot was not possible.

Potential for Land Contamination - Contamination may have occurred through a number of oil and petrol spills onto an uneven cracked surface - see Plate 10.16

DD 96/645 - sections (Plate 10.17)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - Assorted farm buildings, some storage areas, some animal outhouses. Some storage of chemicals and livestock waste in drums. Generally untidy with rubbish strewn around area. Discarded tyres and assorted vehicle parts. Several parked vehicles in area including container lorries. Some of this falls into Government Land.

Potential for Land Contamination - An inventory of chemicals, pesticides etc. which may be used in the farming should be compiled. There is currently some potential for contamination to have occurred through waste spillage's but this is not considered to be significant.

DD 96/717, 718, 721 (No Plate)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - Roughly surfaced container site, concreted in some areas. Some storage areas and small offices. Few vehicles parked. Untidy areas of waste and debris and in the northern section are several clusters of chemical drums. Some of these drums may be outside the works area for the alignment but may have previously been stored elsewhere on site. They are battered, old, rusted and may have spilt contents through roughly surfaced and vegetated surface. Drums include Chlorowax, methylene chloride, chloro alkane solutions, epioxidised soybean oil and an acrylic solution. On one of the shed/offices is a sign taken from a drum saying marine pollutant. Many drums were marked Shell, BP and ICI. A site visit a week later confirmed that even more chemical drums had been left at this site including some containing chloroform.

FSD noted lubricant oils and chemical waste lubricants stored in metal drums and a large number of metal drums stored at the site.

Potential for Land Contamination - Initially it should be determined if the main area of chemical storage will be affected by the works. Potential for contamination of ground in this area is high given the nature of the ground surface which would be suitable for infiltration and knowing that several harmful chemicals are stored here. The drums are sometimes battered and therefore may have leaked. A contamination assessment should also determine whether the drums have been stored anywhere else on the site where they may have previously leaked. It should be noted that methylene chloride is listed as a hazardous air pollutant (under the US Clean Air Act, 1991), many chloro alkanes are designated as priority pollutants (Clean Water Act) or are on the Superfund Hazardous substances list, as is chloroform.

DD95/ 786, 791, 792, 772 (part) (Plates 10.18 and 10.19)

Landuse Survey - A planning application was made in 1996 for permission to use the lots as a container storage area. The application was rejected (one stated reason was because it fell into an area marked for the railway). Records stated that the area was at that time already used illegally as a container area although there was no record of how long it had been used as such.

Site Inspection - confirmed that the site is a container and storage area. Some container/offices/temporary structures. Vehicles using the area were mainly smaller lorries and vans. Some storage of chemicals on site - included isopropyl alcohol and polystyrene beads in drums.

Potential for Land Contamination - there is some potential for contamination, depending on whether any leakages or spills have occurred from vehicles or drums because the rough ground surface would be suitable for infiltration of contaminants. Contamination is likely to be mainly oils.

DD96/ 772 (part) (Plates10.20 and 10.21)

Landuse Survey - A planning application was made by Hong Kong Bamboo Trading Co. in 1993 to use the site as a bamboo goods factory. This application was rejected. The files do not record if this was a previous illegal landuse.

Site Inspection - the site is used by a metal and waste recycling company, presumably illegally as the lot records do not indicate any current landuse. There are many vehicles parked here and the ground is roughly surfaced. Some chemical waste lubricants were noted on FSD inspection.

Potential for Land Contamination - there is some potential for contamination, depending on whether any leakages or spills have occurred from vehicles because the rough ground surface would be suitable for infiltration of contaminants. Heavy metal and oil based contamination could have occurred.

DD95/ 803 S.A. ss.1 (No Photo)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - The lot could only be seen through the gates from where it seemed to be a storage area for the adjacent factory. No contaminating materials were observed, however chemicals used to treat leather are known to be hazardous to soil and cause land contamination.

Potential for Land Contamination - the possible storage of chemicals used to treat leather should be investigated and an inventory of chemicals used at the factory compiled to determine the possibility of contamination. Any contaminants present are likely to be organic liquids.

DD95/ 803 S.B. (Plate 10.22)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site

Site Inspection - Car repairs/dismantling and scrap yard. Wood and glass debris and spilt oils on floor which is concreted and vegetated. FSD noted storage of 200 litres of diesel on the site, plus lubricant oils in drums.

Potential for Land Contamination - Contamination is possible as this is a landuse listed in ProPECC PN 3/94.

DD95/ 43 - 45, 53 - 59, 65 - 67, 70 – 74 (Plates 10.23 and 10.24)

Landuse Survey - District Lands Office were not able to supply any information regarding this site so far

Site Inspection - site area is fenced off and used by Paul Y ITC for repair and maintenance of vehicles and machinery. Access to the site was denied. FSD noted storage of lubricant oils and chemical waste lubricants on inspection.

Potential for Land Contamination - Maintenance of vehicles and machinery may require the use of fuels, lubricants and solvents which are likely to cause contamination of the site. Before any recommendation can be made chemicals used must be identified in order to assess the degree to which contamination may be likely.

Proposed Temporary Works areas in Sheung Shui (Plates 10.25 – 10.29)

Landuse Survey - All fall into Government Land. Four areas which will be used as temporary works areas are of concern. These are:-

(i) the works area currently used under the Shek Sheung River Training;

(ii) the container lorry parking and scrap metal storage area at the site of the former Sheung Shui temporary housing area;

(iii) the proposed works area east of the alignment which is currently a container lorry parking area; and

(iv) the car park east of San Wan Road and south of Po Shek Wu Road.

Site Inspection -

(i) the site area seems well organised and any contaminated land should have been dealt with under the river training works programme. There are some chemicals and lubricants stored on site but there appears to have been no spillage and they are stored in appropriate areas.

(ii) Site is well partially concreted with scrap metal and chemical storage across the site.

(iii) One end of the lot is used for car parking and the other for container parking. There is some leakage of oil, particularly at the container end. Surface is tarmac in places and gravel in others.

(iv) Site is just used as a car park. Surface is rough gravel but there is little evidence of surface spillage.

Potential for Land Contamination -

(i) Potential for land contamination is low as any contamination present should have been dealt with under river training works.

(ii) Site has only recently been converted to a scrap metal yard, potential for contamination exists from storage of chemical drums and discarded metal and vehicle parts.

(iii) There is some oily waste on the ground surface which may have infiltrated through the gravel in places. Generally the potential for contamination is low. As the site will only be used on a temporary basis, provided the land is disturbed no further investigation of contamination should be required as the site would be being used on a fit-for-use basis.

(iv) Little evidence of potential contamination.

TABLE : REFERENCE VALUES AND GUIDELINES FOR SOILS

Soil and ground water criteria used in The Netherlands for contaminated land (*Dutch List*)

COMPONENT		Soil (mg/kg dry soil)			Ground water (ug/L)
COMPONENT		A	B	C	A	B	C
1. Metals		100	250	800	20	50	200
Cr		20	50	300	20	50	200
Ni		50	100	500	20	50	200
Cu		50	100	500	20	50	200
Zn		200	500	3000	50	200	800
As		20	30	50	10	30	100
Mo		10	40	200	5	20	100
Cd		1	5	20	1	2.5	10
Sn		20	50	300	10	30	150
Ba		200	400	2000	50	100	500
Hg		0.5	2	10	0.2	0.5	2
Pb		50	150	600	20	50	200
2. Inorganics
NH₄ (as N)		-	-	-	200	1000	3000
F (total)		200	400	2000	300	1200	4000
CN	(tot. free)	1	10	100	5	30	100
	(tot. comb.)	5	50	500	10	50	200
S (total)		2	20	200	10	100	300
Br (total)		20	50	300	100	500	2000
PO₄ (as P)		-	-	-	50	200	700
3. Aromatics Compounds
Benzene		0.01	0.5	5	0.2	1	5
Ethylbenzene		0.05	5	50	0.5	20	60
Toluene		0.05	3	30	0.5	15	50
Xylenes		0.05	5	50	0.5	20	60
Phenols		0.02	1	10	0.5	15	50
Total		0.1	7	70	1	30	100
4. Polycyclic Hydrocarbons
Naphthalene		0.1	5	50	0.2	7	30
Anthracene		0.1	10	100	0.1	2	10
Fenanthrene		0.1	10	100	0.1	2	10
Flouranthene		0.1	10	100	0.02	1	5
Pyrene		0.1	10	100	0.02	1	5
1, 2 – benzopyrene		0.05	1	10	0.01	0.2	1
Total		1	20	200	0.2	10	40
5. Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
Aliphatics
	(Individual)	0.1	5	50	1	10	50
	(Total)	0.1	7	70	1	15	70
Chlorobenzenes
	(Individual)	0.05	1	10	0.02	0.5	2
	(Total)	0.05	2	20	0.02	1	5
Chlorophenols
	(Individual)	0.01	0.5	5	0.01	0.3	1.5
	(Total)	0.01	1	10	0.01	0.5	2
Chlor. PAHs (Tot.)		0.05	1	10	0.01	0.2	1
PCB’s (Tot.)		0.05	1	10	0.01	0.2	1
EOCL (Tot.)		0.1	8	80	1	15	70
6. Pesticides
Chlorinated organics
	(Individual)	0.1	0.5	5	0.5	0.2	1
	(Total)	0.1	1	10	0.1	0.5	2
Pesticides
	(Total)	0.1	2	20	0.1	1	5
7. Other Pollutants
Tetrahydrofuran		0.1	4	40	0.5	20	60
Pyridine		0.1	2	20	0.5	10	30
Tetrahydrothiofene		0.1	5	50	0.5	20	60
Cyclohexanes		0.1	6	60	0.5	15	50
Styrene		0.1	5	50	0.5	20	60
Gasoline		20	100	800	10	40	150
Mineral Oil		100	1000	5000	20	200	600

These values are not “standards” but rather guidelines for use in assessing the significance of contaminated land. A simplified explanation of the ABC levels: A-level implies unpolluted, B-level implies pollution present and further investigation required, c-level implies significant pollution present and cleanup (preferably back to the A-level) required.

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