Forest practices and water quality

Dr Alison Bleaney

Since 2005, atrazine has been found in the Duck River, Rubicon River, Liffey River, Derwent River and simazine has been found in the Brid, Montague, Prosser, Rubicon, South Esk and Trevallyn Dam, Macquarie, Brumbys Creek, Western Creek. Launceston’s water supply reported simazine in 2003 and 2004 at above GV, and atrazine at above GV in 2001. Alpha- cypermethrin is acutely toxic to aquatic life, and 5 ml will kill all aquatic life in approximately 50 million cubic litres. In humans it is an immunotoxic, an endocrine disruptor and causes epigenetic changes ie will change gene functioning. Fertility issues are increasing and IVF is now considered to be potentially required for 1 in 6 Tasmanian couples. Why has Tasmania one of the highest rates of cancer – age-standardised – in Australia?


Background: http://www.fsc-watch.org/archives/2008/03/12/How_the_FSC_broke__t#c379

The (mis)information being broadcast around the world regarding forest practices and water quality in Tasmania by Dr Barry Tomkins (Senior Fellow in the. School of Forest and Ecosystem Science at the University of Melbourne), is breathtaking.

In his comments, who does he really represent and to whom is he accountable?? It would not seem to be any of those living in the water catchments in Tasmania.

Quotes from B Tomkins and my comments underneath:

“I was well aware of the Greens press release, having been sent it within a day or two of its release. The additional detections were successive to the first; that is, the initial detection was reported, then testing was reported at monthly intervals until there was no further instances, but tests in between on the time sequence were not reported. Thus these so-called new detections actually largely relate to initial detections. In the flood data collected on 4 streams during rising water levels, even the times are given, which demonstrate the point. Nevertheless, I understand that all detections will now be reported, in time sequence.”

The additional detections – many were reported by the Greens from FOI information, they were not followed monthly and they were not followed until there were negative results. They are non-reporting by DPIW of contamination results and are not on DPIW website. The flood reporting is inaccurate as there are only a limited number of bottles on the automatic samplers and so contamination levels do not get followed to below detection levels, and many floods are not reported at all. Even values above guideline values(GV) do not get publicly notified or investigated and reported. Water sampling is haphazard. Tests are only for water soluble pesticides ie not total load of pesticides and will not detect alpha-cypermethrin, and does not follow spraying events or notify consumers in a timely fashion of contamination events.

‘Water’ in Tasmania is the responsibility of the Dept of the Premier who delegates that responsibility to the Dept of Primary Industry and Water. In general terms DPIW is responsible for water until it reaches the water intake pipes for that town, or potable water supply. Then the ‘water body’ be it Esk Water or the local council takes over that responsibility. They are responsible – legally – under the Dept of Public Health for the drinking water. By law it is supposed to be ‘clean, safe and non-toxic’. Nobody should accept having pesticides in their drinking water.
DPIW is also the Dept that regulates the use of pesticides; what can be used, by whom, where and when. This includes using 1080.
It is that simple.

“There were a large number of non-forestry detections.”

How do you know this as these matters have not been fully investigated or publicised? Forestry companies do use these chemicals in Tasmania.

Atrazine and Prof Tyrone Hayes

The US EPA has not always been correct and their summary and conclusions have not stood up to scientific rigorous review – we all know why, but all will eventually be revealed. Until then we have waterways and ground water contamination with endocrine disruptors at effect-causing concentrations. See aa remarks above re comparison between areas planted with trees and canola – we have no cotton – in Tasmania. The Macquarie River has been permantly contaminated with simazine since 7/2007 and still no public advice to water users.

Since 2005, atrazine has been found in the Duck River, Rubicon Rver, Liffey River, Derwent River and simazine has been found in the Brid, Montague, Prosser, Rubicon, South Esk and Trevallyn Dam, Macquarie, Brumbys Creek, Western Creek. Launceston’s water supply reported simazine in 2003 and 2004 at above GV, and atrazine at above GV in 2001.

Alpha- cypermethrin is acutely toxic to aquatic life, and 5 ml will kill all aquatic life in approximately 50 million cubic litres.

In humans it is an immunotoxic, an endocrine disruptor and causes epigenetic changes ie will change gene functioning.

Fertility issues are increasing and IVF is now considered to be potentially required for 1 in 6 Tasmanian couples.

Why has Tasmania one of the highest rates of cancer – age-standardised – in Australia?

All forestry – especially ‘clean and green’ FSC – needs to be accountable to those affected by their practices.

Meanwhile, Pesticides, GMO update: Carcinogenic “organics”; India’s endosulfan victims; Global Seed Vault questions; GMOs boost pesticide use; and more…

Dr Alison Bleaney
Tasmania (ex north of Scotland)
16/3/2008