Triazine petition

Today an electronic petition (e-petition) has been lifted onto the Tasmanian Parliament website, presented by Dr. Alison Bleaney (spokesperson for Break O’Day Catchment Risk Group) as the Principal Petitioner, calling for a ban on the use of triazine pesticides in Tasmania in the interest of the health of all Tasmanians but especially the future generations.

It is clear that contamination of Tasmania’s water sources, including drinking water, is widespread.

Dr. Bleaney has stated:

“Triazines are known to be persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals and are linked to many health problems such as cancer, diabetes, reproductive health and immune system functioning. These pesticides will affect our children for many generations to come unless the members of the Government enact the precautionary principle and stop the use of these poisonous chemicals now.
The elimination of environmental toxins such as the triazine pesticides must be included in Tasmania’s preventative health strategy.
I would encourage everyone to sign the petition below.”

Here

Tasmanian residents draw to the attention of the House

The use of triazine herbicides (e.g. atrazine, simazine, hexazinone,
cyanazine) has contaminated Tasmania’s fresh water supplies on a wide scale.

Triazines have contaminated the Prosser, Rubicon, Brid, Derwent, North & South Esk, West Tamar, Macquarie, Meander, Duck, Montague, Jordon, Liffey, Coal, Hellyer, Cattley, Little Henty, Lisle Creek, Great Forester and George Rivers, Tea Tree & Brushy Plains Rivulet, Western & Brumby’s Creek, and ground water at Ross and Port Arthur. Derby and Lorinna drinking waters have also been contaminated.

Triazines such as atrazine have been shown to potentiate breast and prostate cancers along with producing neurological, reproductive and immunological problems in fish, amphibians, birds and mammals including humans. The developmental origin of disease is well recognized. Cancer rates in Tasmania have dramatically increased between 1980 and 2005, up 33% for males and 30% for females. Tasmania has the highest cancer rates (excluding skin cancer) in Australia. This rise in cancer coincides with increased rates of diseases including diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, and while there will be a range of contributing factors – this sharp increase in disease rates correlates with the widespread and largely unregulated use of endocrine disrupting pesticides such as the triazines.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to enact the Precautionary Principle in relation to the use of these chemicals, and ban the use of the triazine chemicals in Tasmania in order to better protect the health and wellbeing of the current and future generations.

Dr. Alison Bleaney OBE
MB ChB FACRRM
Break O’Day Catchment Risk Group -a group affiliated to the National Toxic Network
Dr Alison Bleaney