State Government of Victoria

Environment Protection Authority

Monitoring the environment

Hazelwood open cut mine fire – ash sampling results


Two samples were taken on 18 February 2014 from a residential property in Morwell:

  1. a water sample from a swimming pool – this was separated in the lab into a water sample and a sediment (ash) sample
  2. a soil sample from a front yard.

Key points

  • These are the first samples that have been taken in the area for ash in water and on land. 
  • Further sampling will be carried out over the upcoming days to identify if the contamination is due to fallen ash or is naturally occurring. The outcomes of this sampling with inform an ongoing sampling program.

The following is the analytical data that have been received for the samples taken on 18 February. They have been compiled into water, sediment (ash) and soil results, with comparison values included from Australian and Victorian standards (internet links to the full documents are provided at the end of this page).

Interpretation of water sample

Analysis of the pool water showed that it was generally suitable for swimming (based on comparison with recreational guideline values), although there were slightly elevated aluminium, iron and manganese levels. Other factors affecting suitability for swimming (such as E. coli levels) have not been tested for and would affect the suitability for swimming.

Barium and strontium were also present in the water but there are no standards to assess these. They are also present in comparable concentrations in artesian water (groundwater) from the region, suggesting that these are normal background levels for these compounds.

The water sample collected from the pool was green in colour. There is no obvious reason based on the chemical analysis why the water is green. Ash contains nutrients and it may simply be that algae have started to grow using the nutrients in the ash or dust that has fallen into the pool.

Water sample result (mg/L) Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality – 95% level of protection Australian recreational water quality guidelines
Metal      
Aluminium 1.0 0.055 0.050
Antimony <0.01 – –
Arsenic <0.01 0.024 (as As III) –
Barium 0.31 – 1.0
Beryllium <0.01 – –
Boron <0.2 0.370 1.0
Cadmium <0.002 0.0002 0.005
Chromium (all) <0.01 0.001 (as Cr III) 0.05
Cobalt <0.01 – –
Copper 0.02 0.0014 –
Iron 6.5 – –
Lead <0.01 0.0034 0.05
Manganese 0.1 1.9 –
Mercury <0.001 0.0006 0.001
Molybdenum <0.01 – –
Nickel <0.01 0.011 0.1
Selenium <0.01 0.011 0.01
Silver <0.01 0.00005 0.05
Strontium 0.27 – –
Thallium <0.01 – –
Tin <0.01 – –
Titanium 0.06 – –
Vanadium <0.01 – –
Zinc 0.35 0.008 –
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Acenaphthene 0.001 – –
Acenaphthylene <0.001 – –
Anthracene <0.001 – –
Benz(a)anthracene <0.001 – –
Benzo(a)pyrene <0.001 – 0.01
Benz(b)fluranthen <0.001 – –
Benzo(ghi)perylene <0.001 – –
Benz(k)fluranthen <0.001 – –
Chrysene <0.001 – –
Dibenz(ah)anthracene <0.001 – –
Fluoranthene <0.001 – –
Fluorene <0.001 – –
Indeno(123)pyrene <0.001 – –
Napthalene <0.001 0.016 –
Phenanthrene <0.001 – –
Pyrene <0.001 – –
Total PAHs 0.001 – –

Interpretation of sediment (ash) and soil samples

For those contaminants that can be compared to the Australian or Victorian standards, their concentrations are below the values that would be appropriate for residential activities with children playing in the soils and garden vegetables grown for family consumption.

As mentioned above, artesian water sample data suggests that a number of the metals may be present in the natural soils.  Many of these natural contaminants do not have standard values as they form part of the soil normally and include metals such as Aluminium, Barium, Iron, Strontium as well as a number of others.

The sampling and analysis that EPA will be conducting over the upcoming days will provide further information about the natural levels of these metals in the soils.


Sediment (ash) from water sample
(mg/kg)		 National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure
HIL: Residential-A 1 (mg/kg)		 Soil hazard categorisation and management (EPA Victoria IWRG 621)
Fill material upper limits 2
(mg/kg)
Metal
Aluminium 1700 – –
Antimony <5 – –
Arsenic <5 100 20
Barium 190 – –
Beryllium <5 60 –
Boron <10 4500 –
Cadmium <0.2 20 3
Chromium (all) <5 100 (as Cr VI) 1 (as Cr VI)
Cobalt <5 100 –
Copper 7 6000 100
Iron 9100 – –
Lead <5 300 300
Manganese 91 3800 –
Mercury <0.05 40 1
Molybdenum <5 – 40
Nickel <5 400 60
Selenium <3 200 10
Silver <5 – 10
Strontium 84 – –
Thallium <5 – –
Thorium <5 – –
Tin <5 – 50
Titanium 86 – –
Uranium <5 – –
Vanadium <5 – –
Zinc 340 7400 200
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Acenaphthene <0.1 – –
Acenaphthylene 0.2 – –
Anthracene 0.2 – –
Benzo(a)anthracene <0.1 – –
Benzo(a)pyrene <0.1 – 1
Benzo(b)fluranthene <0.1 – –
Benzo(ghi)perylene <0.1 – –
Benzo(k)fluranthene <0.1 – –
Chrysene <0.1 – –
Dibenz(ah)anthracene <0.1 –  
Fluoranthene 0.1 – –
Fluorene 0.4 – –
Indeno(123)pyrene <0.1 – –
Napthalene 2.8 – –
Phenanthrene 1.3 – –
Pyrene 0.1 – –
Total PAHs 5.1 300 20
BaP TEQ (zero) <0.1 – –
BaP TEQ (LOR) 0.2 3 –
  1. HIL: Residential A – Residential with garden/accessible soil (home grown produce <10% fruit and vegetable intake (no poultry), also includes childcare centres, preschools and primary schools.
  2. Fill material upper limits – these soils may be used anywhere within the State of Victoria without approval from EPA.
Soil sample
(mg/kg)		 National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination ) Measure
HIL: Residential-A 1
(mg/kg)		 Soil hazard categorisation and management (EPA Victoria, IWRG 621)

Fill material upper limits 2
(mg/kg)
Metal
Aluminium 8900 – –
Antimony <5 – –
Arsenic <5 100 20
Barium 1500 – –
Beryllium <5 60 –
Boron 220 4500 –
Cadmium <0.2 20 3
Chromium (all) 9 100 (as Cr VI) 1 (as Cr VI)
Cobalt 7 100 –
Copper 12 6000 100
Iron 39000 – –
Lead 5 300 300
Manganese 440 3800 –
Mercury 0.07 40 1
Molybdenum <5 – 40
Nickel 20 400 60
Selenium 5 200 10
Silver <5 – 10
Strontium 1100 – –
Thallium <5/td> – –
Thorium <5 – –
Tin <5 – 50
Titanium 460  – –
Uranium <5 – –
Vanadium 14 – –
Zinc 110 7400 200
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Acenaphthene <0.1 – –
Acenaphthylene 0.4 – –
Anthracene 0.6 – –
Benzo(a)anthracene <0.1 – –
Benzo(a)pyrene <0.1 – 1
Benzo(b)fluranthene <0.1 – –
Benzo(ghi)perylene <0.1 – –
Benzo(k)fluranthene <0.1 – –
Chrysene <0.1 – –
Dibenz(ah)anthracene <0.1 – –
Fluoranthene 0.4 – –
Fluorene 1.0 – –
Indeno(123)pyrene <0.1  – –
Napthalene 6.5 – –
Phenanthrene 3.7 – –
Pyrene 0.3 – –
Total PAHs 13 300 20
BaP TEQ (zero) <0.1 – –
BaP TEQ (LOR) 0.2 3 &ndash
  1. HIL: Residential A – Residential with garden/accessible soil (home grown produce <10% fruit and vegetable intake (no poultry), also includes childcare centres, preschools and primary schools.
  2. Fill material upper limits – these soils may be used anywhere within the State of Victoria without approval from EPA.

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Page last updated on 17 Sep 2014