Environmental Risk Assessment, Wellington
Horokiwi Quarry Asphalt Plant
Project details
// Client -
Fulton Hogan
// Location -
Wellington
// Services -
// Environmental Engineering // Structural Engineering
Kirk Roberts environmental engineers assessed the risks associated with hazardous materials handling at proposed asphalt plant in Horokiwi Quarry, Wellington.
What is an environmental risk assessment?
An environmental risk assessment is typically required for larger-scale projects. These include industrial and hazardous facilities, major infrastructure such as highways, bridges, and ports, and large subdivisions or developments near waterways, coastal zones, or other sensitive environments.
It evaluates the likelihood and potential consequences of hazardous substances or activities impacting the environment. The process also identifies safeguards to minimise those risks.
In the case of the Horokiwi Quarry asphalt plant development, Kirk Roberts’ assessment examined the potential consequences of a catastrophic failure of the proposed Marini Top Tower 2500 plant and its associated fuel and additive storage tanks.
How are environmental risks from hazardous material storage managed on industrial sites?
Our environmental engineers manage risks from hazardous material storage through detailed assessment, engineered containment systems, and strict regulatory compliance. This typically involves evaluating potential failure scenarios and ensuring tanks and storage facilities are designed to meet strict structural standards for safety and resilience. It also involves safeguards like bunding systems, which are designed to capture and contain any spills or leaks.
At the Horokiwi Quarry asphalt plant, our environmental consultants assessed the risks of these storage tanks, while our structural engineers updated designs that met strict Importance Level requirements. By working as a multi-disciplinary team, we streamlined the solution and delivered a time-efficient outcome that kept safety and compliance front of mind.
Each tank was designed with full bunding that exceeded minimum capacity standards. This ensures that even in the event of a major earthquake or disaster, hazardous substances would remain securely contained on site. This integrated solution showed that environmental discharge was highly unlikely, and that any effects would be no more than minor. Our client was able to move forward with confidence, knowing the project met compliance requirements while safeguarding both people and the environment.
Key Outcomes
- Confirmed negligible environmental risk from catastrophic failure of the Marini Top Tower 2500 asphalt plant.
- Ensured storage tanks met Importance Level standards for disaster resilience.
- Delivered fully bunded containment solutions to mitigate spill scenarios.
- Provided a practical, compliance-ready HAZMAT assessment.
This project highlights Kirk Roberts’ strength as a multi-disciplinary consultancy, delivering robust environmental and hazardous materials risk assessments. By engaging our environmental and structural engineering consultants, clients can be confident their projects meet compliance, build resilience, and protect the environment from the outset.
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