Waterway Contamination will be Unavoidable
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today called on Gunns Limited to abandon plans to aerially spray the Timothy plantation in east Diddleum with Dominex Duo and Bond, due to the presence of nearby residents as well as multiple streams, drains and waterways within the plantation boundary that are known to contain the threatened Freshwater Burrowing Crayfish.
Greens Forests spokesperson Kim Booth MP said the chemicals Dominex Duo and Bond carry clear instructions to avoid the contamination of waterways and also have a specific warning about their toxic effect on crustaceans:
“Do NOT contaminate dams, rivers or streams, or any other water bodies with pesticide or used containers,” and “dangerous to fish and aquatic invertebrates such as yabbies.”
“Gunns Limited must abandon their plans to aerially spray the headwaters of the St Patricks River with chemicals that are prohibited from contaminating waterways, and which are highly toxic to the threatened Freshwater Burrowing Crayfish which lives in these headwaters,” said Mr Booth.
“There are residents living in close proximity to this plantation who collect their own drinking water and who are legitimately terrified of the adverse health effects that the insecticide may have on their children.”
“Anyone who bothers to read the instructions and warnings on these chemicals must know that they are not to be applied anywhere near waterways and especially anywhere near waterways that contain crustaceans such as the Burrowing Crayfish.”
“It is patently obvious from the maps provided that it will be impossible for Gunns to spray this plantation with toxic poisons and avoid contaminating the dozens of waterways and drainage lines that riddle this property.”
“The area that Gunns intends to poison is surrounded by conservation zones and is the absolute headwaters of the rivers and streams that feed into the St Patricks River and on to provide drinking water to the Launceston community.”
“The Bartlett Government must enforce the regulations and order Gunns to cease this negligent and un-Tasmanian behaviour immediately, in the interests of the health of Tasmanian water drinkers and our fragile ecosystems.”
“Gunns Limited are acting like cowboys in applying these chemicals to the Timothy plantation and they must abandon their plans to aerially spray these chemicals near a residential property containing children, and onto a site criss-crossed with waterways that contain the threatened Freshwater Burrowing Crayfish,” said Mr Booth.
Download:
Dec15_Resident_Letter_To_Gunns_ATTACH_KBooth.pdf
Dec15_Timothy_Google_Map_ATTACH_K_Booth.pdf
Dec15_Timothy_Plantation_Map_ATTACH_KBooth.pdf
Kim Booth MP Greens Forests spokesperson
