High: Various components of the PAH mixture are known or Chronic toxicity suspected carcinogens with long term irreversible effects. Carcinogenicity Extreme: The PAH mixture includes known carcinogens. Reproductive Low: There is no evidence of reproductive toxicity. toxicity Workplace Personal protective equipment. health & safety impacts Population No widespread impacts scale impacts Most exposure to PAHs is from fine particulate matter that is more readily inhaled or ingested. Low risk because the viscosity of the Overview tarry residue material limits its dispersal to and in the environment. Extreme: The PAH mixture is toxic to marine organisms and birds. Dispersal of tarry matter into the environment, especially into water, Acute ecotoxicity Potential would pose the same threat as an oil spill from a production well, environment storage or transport would be. impacts Chronic Insufficient data are available for chronic effects on environmental ecotoxicity species. Extreme: The PAHs are persistent and only slowly degraded in the Persistence environment. Bioaccumulation Extreme: PAHs are known to be bioaccumulative. Where are the Generation Transport Storage Treatment Recovery Final disposal risks of impacts most High Moderate Moderate Medium N/A Low likely? Has anything Sites in Australia where town gas was produced from coal have been heavily happened contaminated by tarry matter. During remediation of the sites the tarry matter containing before in PAHs and heavy metals was removed to secure landfills. A recent example (2012-2014) is remediation of the site of the Toowoomba, Qld, gasworks (. Australia? Industry – No systematic controls of industrial management of tarry wastes systematic What control have been identified. controls measures are Appropriate PPE is used by workers in the sampling, removal and in place to Industry – remediation of sites contaminated with tarry residue waste. manage risks exposure posed by this controls waste? State and territory environment agencies require residues destined Government for secure landfill as hazardous waste to be solidified and to meet
Chronic toxicity High: Various components of the PAH mixture are known or suspected carcinogens with long term irreversible effects. Carcinogenicity Extreme: The PAH mixture includes known carcinogens. Reproductive toxicity Low: There is no evidence of reproductive toxicity. Workplace health & safety impacts Personal protective equipment. Population scale impacts No widespread impacts Potential environment impacts Overview Most exposure to PAHs is from fine particulate matter that is more readily inhaled or ingested. Low risk because the viscosity of the tarry residue material limits its dispersal to and in the environment. Acute ecotoxicity Extreme: The PAH mixture is toxic to marine organisms and birds. Dispersal of tarry matter into the environment, especially into water, would pose the same threat as an oil spill from a production well, storage or transport would be. Chronic ecotoxicity Insufficient data are available for chronic effects on environmental species. Persistence Extreme: The PAHs are persistent and only slowly degraded in the environment. Bioaccumulation Extreme: PAHs are known to be bioaccumulative. Where are the risks of impacts most likely? Generation Transport Storage Treatment Recovery Final disposal High Moderate Moderate Medium N/A Low Has anything happened before in Australia? Sites in Australia where town gas was produced from coal have been heavily contaminated by tarry matter. During remediation of the sites the tarry matter containing PAHs and heavy metals was removed to secure landfills. A recent example (2012-2014) is remediation of the site of the Toowoomba, Qld, gasworks (. What control measures are in place to manage risks posed by this waste? Industry – systematic controls No systematic controls of industrial management of tarry wastes have been identified. Industry – exposure controls Appropriate PPE is used by workers in the sampling, removal and remediation of sites contaminated with tarry residue waste. Government State and territory environment agencies require residues destined for secure landfill as hazardous waste to be solidified and to meet
hazardous-waste-impacts.docx