TARIIN KOT, Afghanistan - Comprehensive environmental surveys are being conducted at Multi National Base – Tarin Kot (MNB-TK) as Australian troops prepare to complete their mission in Uruzgan.
Surveys conducted by the Force Extraction Unit (FEU) will ensure the Australian Defense Force (ADF) meets its environmental management obligations before the base is handed back to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The base in Tarin Kot has been inhabited by coalition forces, including Australian troops, continuously since 2004 when it was first known as US Forward Operating Base Ripley.
Travis Collins from Defense Support and Reform Group (DSRG) is the Environmental Officer with the Force Extraction Unit at MNB-TK said he provided environmental advice and conducted surveys to support the ADF extraction operation.
“During my deployment I will be investigating if there is any environmental contamination on the base at Camps Holland and Russell and formulate and implement the plan to deal with it,” he said.
“In the most recent Defense Strategic Environmental Plan, Headquarters Joint Operational Command (HQJOC) committed to implementing better environmental management on deployed operations.
“The actions by HQJOC and Australian forces on the ground, demonstrate Defense environmental policy is embedded within its operational doctrine to ensure we don’t leave a lasting environmental legacy.
“By the time the ADF leaves Uruzgan any environmental hazards will be appropriately treated and we will hand over a site to the Afghans which will be fit for use by its owners.
“We will ensure all waste disposal and infrastructure remediation avoids creating an environmental hazard for Afghanistan.”
Mr Collins said initial environmental closure surveys involved taking soil samples to check for any contamination issues on the base.
“We have taken soil samples from 37 targeted sites across Camp Holland and Camp Russell looking for contamination related to fuel and other contaminants,” he said.
“Soil samples to be tested for contaminants are sent to an accredited laboratory in Dubai with a strict chain of custody process and the results will tell us if any remediation is required.
“Fortunately fuel contamination is easy to fix using a methodology called land farming, which is a bioremediation treatment process.”
In land farming, contaminated soil is spread in a thin layer across the ground. Minerals, nutrients and moisture are then added to the contaminated soil to stimulate microorganisms to break down the fuel into carbon dioxide and water.
Collins said because MNB-TK was outside the green-zone there was not a great deal of plant and animal life on the base.
“The species which do reside on and near the base have adapted to deal with the harsh conditions quite well,” he said.
“Everyone I speak to and work with in Afghanistan is receptive to ensuring we do the right thing in the environmental space here, just as we would at home.”
Mr Collins said he joined DSRG through the Defense Graduate Program 10 years ago and has worked in environmental management and policy development areas, particularly with Exercise Talisman Sabre.
“Most recently I assisted HQJOC to update and implement its own environmental policy,” he said.
“I’m an environmental scientist, and by working with Defense it has been clear to see how conservation of biodiversity and military activities go hand in hand regardless of where we operate
“I am enjoying my deployment to Afghanistan as managing such an important project is professionally rewarding and also gives me the opportunity to work as part of a team in the ADF environment.”
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2013 11:06 |
| Story ID: | 111256 |
| Location: | TARIN KOWT, AF |
| Web Views: | 182 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Tarin Kot’s environmental scientist, by OR-5 Mark Doran, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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