BY LILLY HAINES
New research released today claims communities in Lake Macquarie and
the Hunter situated near coal fired power stations are at serious risk from
poorly managed coal ash waste sites.
The report titled Unearthing Australia's Toxic Coal Ash Legacy published
by Environmental Justice Australia (EJA) is the first comprehensive national
study of coal ash waste management in Australia.
Coal ash is a toxic by-product of coal fired power containing heavy
metals including mercury, lead, arsenic, selenium and chromium which can have
adverse effects on human and environmental health in nearby areas.
Report author and EJA Lawyer Bronya Lipski says communities closest to
coal fired power stations bear the greatest burden with most sites being
extremely close to waterways.
"Lax government regulation and poor management has led to the
contamination of groundwater, rivers, lakes, and aquatic ecosystems as well as
toxic air pollution from dried out lumps," Ms Lipski said.
Eraring, Vales Point, Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations have all been
named in the report as poorly managed ash dump sites with each of the stations
described as inadequately lined to prevent groundwater contamination.
The report says most of Australia’s coal ash dumps are unlined meaning
groundwater is not properly protected from toxic waste.
"Independent water testing has shown there are higher levels of
really toxic contaminants in Lake Macquarie to the point where certain fish and
crabs can only be consumed in small amounts compared to other fish and
crabs," Ms Lipski said.
Water sampling done earlier this year by the Hunter Community
Environment Centre (HCEC) found the creek that takes overflow from the Eraring
as dump site has a selenium concentration more than 55 times the level
recommended to protect fish and birds.
"Coal ash dumps are a ticking time bomb. All Australian governments
need to act now, not wait for disaster," Ms Lipski said.
She says communities haven't been properly informed about the potential risks and is calling for state parliamentary inquiries into the issue.
"That kind of process is going to make sure that there is a transparency of information and that operators and regulators can be preparing now for rehabilitation and closure plans well before the power stations close," Ms Lipsky.
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| Eraring Power Station ash dam cells holding coal ash waste. Image: EJA. |
Company Secretary of Vales Point operator Delta Electricity, Steve Gurney, questions the scientific validity of the water sampling
undertaken by the HCEC cited in the report.
"EJA is a group of anti-coal activists with one state of objection
and that is to shut down coal fired power stations and this is another attempt
from them to sensationalise the issue to create uncertainty and community fear
regarding the operation of power generators," Mr Gurney said.
Delta says all their testing results have to be undertaken using
approved environment protection authority (EPA) guidelines and those results
are published monthly on their website.
“The current conditions set by the EPA are very stringent and all the
testing shows results well below the international guidelines for fresh and
marine environments.
“Testing undertaken on a regular basis shows there is no leeching from
these ash dams. Power stations and particularly ash dams are highly regulated
with significant oversight by the EPA,” Mr Gurney said.
Manning Park resident Sue Wynn has lived within 2km of the Vales Point
power station for over forty years and drives past the ash dam every day.
Ms Wynn says she is concerned about the environmental
"devastation" the ash dam has caused in Lake Macquarie.
"That has really affected my life here in that sense because I know
that environmental devastation is on my doorstep, and it also has an effect
because we want to know that that is safe for our health.
"Because these power stations were built in the 60s, the ash dams
were put in and they were unlined, the government did not bring in any stricter
environmental pollution control when they had the opportunity to so that sludge
is more toxic than it needs to be.
"We still have 1960s air pollution controls on that power
station," Ms Wynn said.
The EJA report recommends state inquiries into coal ash dumps, rehabilitation
plans, tougher groundwater regulation, safe containment of existing ash dumps,
bond payments to protect communities, national guidelines, and more transparent
easily-accessible information on the issue.
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| Vales Point ash dump from above. Image: EJA. |
