Contents

Chapter 8 LAND CONTAMINATION 1

8.1 Legislation, Standards and Guidelines 1

8.2 Description of the Environment 1

8.3 Assessment Methodology 1

8.4 Identification of Potentially Contaminated Areas 2

8.5 Conclusion 2

             Appendix

             Appendix 8.1 Historical Aerial Photographs

             Appendix 8.2 Correspondences with Government Departments

8 LAND CONTAMINATION

8.1 Legislation, Standards and Guidelines

8.1.1.1 The land contamination assessment has been conducted in accordance with the following legislation, standard and guidelines.

· Annex 19 of the TM-EIAO, Guidelines for Assessment of Impact Assessment Process (TM-EIA), Guidelines for Assessment of Impact On Sites of Cultural Heritage and Other Impacts (Section 3 : Potential Contaminated Land Issues), EPD, 1997;

· Guidance Note for Contaminated Land Assessment and Remediation EPD 2007;

· Guidance Manual for Use of Risk-Based Remediation Goals (RBRGs) for Contaminated Land Management, EPD, 2007; and

· Practice Guide for Investigation and Remediation of Contaminated Land, EPD, 2011.

8.2 Description of the Environment

8.2.1.1 This chapter is to evaluate any potential land contamination issue within the Project Area which may lead to potential health risk to the future users. The Project involves an elevated pedestrian corridor over the section of existing Yuen Long Town Nullah from the Long Ping West Rail Station to Kau Yuk Road. The whole section is channelized and lined with concrete bottom and banks. The Project Area comprises the section of Yuen Long Town Nullah and the adjacent pedestrian footpaths and roads. The footpaths or roads surrounding the nullah are concrete-paved. As the future development will be elevated over the nullah, no direct contact between the future users and the land is anticipated.

8.3 Assessment Methodology

8.3.1.1 Desktop review of relevant materials including the historical aerial photos from 1963 to 2015 has been conducted to study the site history and evaluate any potential contaminating activities has taken place within the Project Area. Selected historical aerial photos are presented in Appendix 8.1.

8.3.1.2 Site reconnaissance has been conducted in March 2015 to review the existing land use and identify any contaminating activities within the Project Area.

8.3.1.3 Fire Services Department (FSD) and EPD have been enquired on any previous fire / chemical spillage incidence that may cause land contamination within the Project Area. Reply from FSD and EPD indicate that there has been no dangerous goods license record within the Project Area since Year 1990, and no fire or dangerous goods spillage/ leakage incidence has been recorded within the Project Area in the past 3 years. The correspondences with FSD and EPD are given in Appendix 8.2.

8.3.1.4 The EPD’s chemical waste producer register was inspected in June 2016 and no record of chemical waste producer was identified within the Project Area.

8.4 Identification of Potentially Contaminated Areas

8.4.1.1 As observed from the aerial photo of Year 1963, the channelizing works in the section of Yuen Long Town Nullah within the Project Area was in progress. The existing Castle Peak Road has been formed across the nullah. Some agricultural lands and village houses are observed in the area of the existing Yuen Long On Ning Road and Kau Yuk Road. As shown in the aerial photos of Year 1973 and 1982, the Nullah has been channelized, but not fully covered with concrete bed. The existing Yuen Long On Ning Road and Kau Yuk Road have been formed and replaced the previous agricultural lands and village houses observed in the aerial photo of Year 1963. It is observed from the aerial photo of Year 1993 that the channelization works of the nullah has been completed and the nullah was lined with concrete banks and bed. The status has remained unchanged since 1993. The site reconnaissance has verified that the Project Area is solely a channelized watercourse with the pedestrian footpaths and roads next to the nullah. No potential contaminating activities is identified within the Project Area and the surroundings areas.

8.4.1.2 As the Project Area has mainly been a concrete-lined nullah for more than 20 years, the top soil have been removed during the channelizing works. Also, no historical or existing contaminating activities are identified within the nullah area and the associated concrete-paved footpaths and roads. Therefore, soil contamination is not anticipated. Nonetheless, land-based sediment in the nullah would be involved and disturbed by the Project. The amount and quality of sediment to be excavated would be evaluated in Chapter 7.

8.5 Conclusion

8.5.1.1 Upon review of historical aerial photo and site reconnaissance, it was observed that the Project Area comprised a channelized watercourse lined with concrete, and concrete-paved pedestrian footpath along the nullah and sections of existing Yuen Long On Ning Road and Kau Yuk Road for more than 20 years. No soil contamination is anticipated in the Project Area. For the land-based sediment in the nullah, it would be disturbed by the Project and the amount and quality of sediment to be excavated would be presented in Chapter 7.