Australia - EPA probes Westfield toxic waste handling

THOUSANDS of tonnes of toxic waste that threatens the health of construction workers has been uncovered during building works at the $90 million Westfield Kotara redevelopment.

Poisonous aluminium salt slag was discovered by workers, who noticed a pungent smell, during excavation of a car park near Northcott Drive in mid August....

....The hazardous material was dug up by contractors installing a new sewer line and tests revealed the slag contained arsenic, cyanide, chloride, aluminium, sulphide and fluoride.

According to the Greencap report, the main concern is the slag’s “leachability” and its reactivity to water and humidity that can cause “toxic, harmful, explosive, poisonous and unpleasant odorous gases”.