The acid mist

A Concerned Resident

ON any still winter’s day this plume, emanating from Zinifex, is visible over the Derwent River.

On a morning radio talk back show, several weeks ago, Premier Paul Lennon assured listeners that having a pulp mill in the Tamar Valley would have no more significant environmental effect than having the Zinifex Smelter near Hobart. You have, he said, a virtual pulp mill on the Derwent.

One concerned local resident who has been in correspondence with Zinifex for some time recently received the following answer from the company, which maintains it is committed to solving the issue:

‘The nature of the plume has not changed since last winter and the emission remains less than 25% of the limit set by our Regulator, the State Department of Environment. Despite the low results the visibility is unacceptable. The foreshore stack emits very low levels of sulphur trioxide that creates an extremely dilute ‘acid mist’ when it combines with moisture. Monitoring shows that the emissions do not change from day to day, but the plume becomes noticeably more visible in winter weather conditions.’

The letter went on to say that given its expense (several millions of dollars) Zinifex wants to be sure the preferred solution has received appropriate assessment before putting it in place. Construction and commissioning is likely to be in 2008.

Updates of progress were assured.

The resident is not reassured and remains extremely worried about the health issues that were of initial concern as the acid mist continues to billow across the Derwent or to wherever else the wind takes it before it is deposited.