Dr Alison Bleaney
If the pulp mill effluent is toxic — in what way is it actually toxic? how will this be qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated ? Will this be done as per the ANZECC guidelines? When will this occur? What are the processes in place for a probabilistic, comprehensive risk assessment? Which stakeholders will be involved? What are the plans for remediation if required? Who is responsible for these processes? What are the time frames?
DIOXINS are one of the most toxic persistent chemicals that can pollute both acutely and by stealth and their effect on the environment and human health must not be minimised by an unscientific and inconsistent approach.
The recent example of the pollution in Sydney Harbour by dioxins show how easily this can happen.
The proposed pulp mill is now apparently going to discharge dioxins and related chemicals as a result of its manufacture of pulp from woodchips.
“World best practice” with regard to pulp mill functioning would demand effluent recycling in a closed-loop system. Water is after all an expensive and diminishing commodity. Toxic and other waste materials would therefore be dealt with in-house and not disposed of in effluent.
The current ANZECC Guidelines, Fresh and Marine Water Quality 2000 (adopted by Tasmania, State Water Policy Act1997) are quite explicit with regard to the type of monitoring required to assess mixtures of toxic chemicals including effluent of all types.
Baseline monitoring is essential to all potentially polluting processes and the Tamar River should already have this in place prior to any further industries established in the river and its catchments.
Still the question really is — is the pulp mill effluent toxic or not?
If the pulp mill effluent is toxic — in what way is it actually toxic? how will this be qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated ? Will this be done as per the ANZECC guidelines? When will this occur? What are the processes in place for a probabilistic, comprehensive risk assessment? Which stakeholders will be involved? What are the plans for remediation if required? Who is responsible for these processes? What are the time frames?
If the effluent is not toxic-why is it not being recycled so saving huge amounts of taxpayers water and money?
So the real question is — is the pulp mill effluent toxic or not?
Ref: ANZECC Guidelines Vol2 Ch8
State Water Policy Act 1997(Tas)
Dept Environment and Heritage–Dioxins
Dr Alison Bleaney is a GP
