CASE STUDY

By: Duane Pretorius, Environmental Manager – Sedgwick Australia

Incident summary

Various waste streams were illegally dumped on a private property in Victoria and subsequent fires resulted in soil contamination. The waste included tyres, general waste, burned waste and contaminated soils. Fires were started in two locations, causing contamination with elevated levels of zinc and lead in the surficial soils. It is unknown what started the fires however, it was predominantly tyres and a car that was set alight. Investigations further revealed that more waste such as loads of office and home furniture, clothing and other items were dumped in multiple locations during the clean-up operations The insured was informed about the two separate illegal dumping events as two separate excesses would apply to these incidents.

Claim summary

The claim involved the removal and clean-up of illegal waste after the policyholder informed the insurer of the illegal dumping of general waste on one of their properties. The insurer appointed Sedgwick, who responded, coordinated the remediation, removal and disposal of the general waste, tyres and contaminated soils. Investigations were conducted by a Sedgwick panel of environmental consultants who provided proof of contamination and waste classification of some impacted soils.

Works conducted

Sedgwick was brought in to conduct a waste classification assessment, obtain quotations, and coordinate operations for the safe removal and disposal of the waste and two different categories of contaminated soils. Below is the scope of work:

• Appoint panel service providers to remove, transport and dispose of the tyres, general waste and low hazardous contaminated soils
• Appoint a panel environmental consultant to assess the waste streams and conduct a waste classification
• Appoint a panel hygienist to assess for asbestos containing materials and chemical exposure hazards, to the property and the surrounding areas
• Gather information and report on waste disposal solutions
• Determine the best disposal method and contractors to remove the different waste streams

Savings and contributions

A total of 22.14 tonnes of general waste was disposed, 16.8 tonnes of car tyres were recycled, and 30.38 tonnes of category A and D waste was treated and disposed at two separate disposal facilities. Due to the different waste categories, we had to negotiate reasonable disposal rates with our waste service providers. Furthermore, we disposed of the intact tyres responsibly and in accordance with the specific environmental regulation for Victoria, aligning with the Environment Protection Act’s (EPA’s) reportable requirements. Our coordinated planning and strict adherence to the EPA’s guidelines ensured efficient remediation and avoiding potential costs from regulatory fines.

Conclusion

Sedgwick played a crucial role in managing the claim and helped get the project completed in a timely manner, achieving significant savings. All invoices and expenses were processed through our system, and the final project assessment report confirmed that all waste and contamination were removed from the site, complying with all relevant legislation.