Gunns may have misled ASX

Paul Oosting
The CSIRO’s leading oceanographer and member of the Federal Government Independent Expert Group on the pulp mill Dr Mike Herzfeld’s report into the impact toxic pollution from Gunns pulp mill has confirmed that Gunns pulp mill would breach permit conditions and pollute the coastline.

MEDIA RELEASE 30th January, 2009

LEADING CSIRO EXPERT SAYS GUNNS PULP MILL “WOULD BE IN BREACH OF STATE PERMIT CONDITIONS ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS”

Gunns may have misled ASX in falsely claiming marine module approved

The CSIRO’s leading oceanographer and member of the Federal Government Independent Expert Group on the pulp mill Dr Mike Herzfeld’s report into the impact toxic pollution from Gunns pulp mill has confirmed that Gunns pulp mill would breach permit conditions and pollute the coastline.

“Dr Herzfeld has confirmed the fears of Australian’s that Gunns pulp mill will pollute our beaches and contaminated the marine environment endangering marine life and the Tasmanian seafood industry,” said Mr Paul Oosting, pulp mill campaigner for The Wilderness Society.

“Australian’s don’t want toxic pollution washing up onto their beaches and contaminating their seafood,” said Mr Oosting “The Federal Government expert on this issue has made it clear Gunns would breach permit conditions and pollute the coastline.”

The Herzfeld report released by Gunns following concerted calls from pulp mill opponents states (page 36) :
“This creates the possibility for high concentrations to be carried significant distances from the source, and will certainly reach Commonwealth waters (and the coast) under conducive forcing conditions.

Based on criteria prescribed in the State Pulp Mill Permits (2007), maximum effluent concentration for Chlorate (the most prescriptive constituent in terms of mixing zone extent) and target dilutions prescribed by GHD, the modelling indicates that during the periods simulated the effluent dispersion would be in breach of the State permit conditions on an almost daily basis. There is every reason to expect that the mechanisms responsible for these exceedances would apply in other periods.”

“Gunns cannot dismiss the Herzfeld report as the Federal Government has not approved conditions related to the marine environment,” said Mr Oosting.

“In trying to put a good spin on the damming evidence contained in the Herzfeld report it appears Gunns may have misled the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in falsely claiming module L of the pulp mill Environmental Impact Management Plan (EIMP) has been approved,” concluded Mr Oosting.

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