Economy
Bell Bay poison plan, never for Hobart
TASPORTS is preparing to release up to 1.5 tonnes of highly toxic gas into the atmosphere at its Bell Bay port – less than six kilometres from George Town.
The state-owned entity will for the first time carry out an on-ship fumigation for Forestry Tasmania next month using methyl bromide – an ozone-depleting gas banned by the European Union that is highly toxic to humans and animals.
Tasports says it is licensed by the Federal Government to undertake on-ship fumigation and is confident the fumigation of radiata pine logs would not put its employees, other port users or the public at risk.
The odourless, colourless gas is widely used by Australia’s Quarantine and Inspection Service but is usually used and extracted from gas-tight fumigation enclosures.
Fumigation will be done in the ship’s hold because of the size of the consignment and because the whole logs will not have bark removed.
A spokeswoman for Forestry Tasmania said radiata pine logs were almost always exported with the bark.
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The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer – to which Australia is a signatory – urges parties to refrain from use of methyl bromide and to minimise emissions through containment and recovery where possible.
A New Zealand toxicologist in January 2005 made links between the poison and a cluster of deaths from motor neurone disease among New Zealand port workers.
Christine Milne: “First is the matter of methyl bromide itself. This chemical, put simply is deadly. It is invisible, odourless and if inhaled it can cause internal burns and damage to the central nervous system. “Add to this its ability to deplete ozone and you have a particularly nasty substance on the verge of being used just a stone’s throw away from people’s homes. Read more from the TT Media Release links, HERE
Kim Booth: “The decision to change the location of the fumigation is a victory for people living and working around Bell Bay, but a tragedy for the people living and working around the port at Burnie,” said Mr Booth. “How is it that Forestry Tasmania are exporting whole pine logs just a few years after major employer Auspine was forced out of the State due to a supposed shortage of pine logs?”
“It is a cop-out to simply say that this toxic chemical is approved for use in Tasmania, and the Greens will be lobbying to have this situation changed.” “Methyl bromide is a highly toxic chemical and Labor must explain why it is allowing the rogue agency Forestry Tasmania to use this chemical to fumigate a shipload of logs for export, when those logs should be processed in Tasmania by Tasmanians,” said Mr Booth. The rest of the MR will eventually be published on the Greens Tasmania website. TT Media Release links, HERE
And,
Port poison: Banned in Hobart, okay at Bell Bay
BY ZOE EDWARDS
23 Jun, 2010 09:43 AM
THE toxic fumigation to take place at Bell Bay next month is not allowed at Tasports’ Hobart port.
Resources Minister Bryan Green yesterday confirmed necessary buffer zones could not be enforced at the Hobart port like at Bell Bay and Burnie, where Tasports is licensed to undertake fumigations on board ships.
“It will not be allowed here in Hobart, given the proximity of rental properties and the general public,” Mr Green told Parliament.
The Bell Bay fumigation of Forestry Tasmania radiata pine bound for China is expected to take place early next month.
It will end in the release of up to 1.5tonnes of methyl bromide – an ozone depleting gas, highly toxic to animals and humans.
Tasports has said it is confident the fumigation would not put its employees, other port users or the public at risk because the poisonous gas breaks down quickly.
But Bass Greens MHA Kim Booth said Mr Green’s “chilling admission” was reprehensible.
Mr Booth said the Bell Bay port lay under the Tamar Valley inversion layer, which acted as a trap for airborne pollutants.
“No matter which way the prevailing wind blows, there are people located downwind from the port,” Mr Booth said.
“It raises serious questions about the government’s duty of care to people who live outside the capital city. ”
The Wilderness Society says the controversy was further evidence an industry restructure was needed.
Society spokesman Vica Bayley said the fumigation would be averted if the timber was processed before being exported.
“Any long-term deals to export whole pine logs to China must be put on ice,” he said.
Mr Bayley said it was up to the state government to intervene.
A Forestry Tasmania spokeswoman said the radiata pine destined for export was low quality and unsuitable for the local sawmillers.
She said the decision to export was made to maintain employment for contractors.
“It is not uncommon for softwood to be exported from Tasmania although Forestry Tasmania has not done so for years.
“Final details for the shipment from Bell Bay to China have not been finalised.”