Environmental Earth Sciences embarked on a four-month remediation project at a former Orica waste burial site as part of a non-Statutory Environmental Audit. The site in Deer Park (Vic), which was sold to the council in the mid-1980s and subsequently repurposed for recreational use, spans approximately 5 hectares. It served as a waste burial ground from the 1940s to the 1960s, containing sediment from neutralisation ponds, concrete, rocks, plastic, and soil buried to a depth of 2 meters. The primary contaminant of concern was lead, posing a potential threat to groundwater.

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In 2005 and 2006, Environmental Earth Sciences conducted a comprehensive contamination assessment of the site, covering both soil and groundwater. These assessments revealed that the majority of contamination stemmed from the buried fill materials. Leachability testing indicated the potential for lead to leach and migrate into the groundwater.

Given the site's non-Statutory Environmental Audit status, the cleanup requirement adhered to standards suitable for sensitive recreational and open space use. The Independent Environmental Reviewer (IER) played a crucial role throughout the entire remediation and validation process. Importantly, a collaborative and constructive working relationship developed between the client, IER, and the EES team.