The Tasmanian Greens today reiterated their call for a ban on the triazine group of chemicals following the detection of Simazine at 8.7 parts per billion in a north-east waterway, which exceeds the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines of 0.5 parts per billion (ppb).
Greens Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said the latest round of chemical testing of the State’s waterways painted an alarming picture of the ongoing pollution of Tasmania’s rivers and streams.
“Once again the latest round of chemical testing of our waterways reveals the ongoing agricultural chemical cocktail contaminating rivers, creeks, and potentially drinking water supplies,” Ms O’Connor said.
“The detection of Simazine in Tuckers Creek in the Scottsdale vicinity at 8.7 ppb, far exceeds the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines of 0.5 ppb, which is just unacceptable. Monitoring is all very well but the continued use of endocrine disrupting chemicals represents an unacceptable potential threat to human health and aquatic ecology in Tasmania.”
“There have been numerous studies concerning the affects of triazines, especially on aquatic life, with two recent studies finding that exposure to safe levels still affected immune systems in the aquatic subject species.”
“The European Union has banned the use of Triazines because of the threat to the environment and a growing concern about the effect of this group of chemicals on the human endocrine and immune systems. If there ever was a case for exercising the Precautionary Principle to protect human wellbeing, a ban on Triazines is it.”
“We can no longer keep accepting its toxic presence in our waterways, at any detection level, let alone when it far exceeds the national Drinking Water Guidelines as this Simazine detection in Tuckers Creek does.”
“There needs to be a phase out of the use of any Triazine chemical in the state, for the sake of our waterways, our environment and communities, as well as Tasmania’s clean, green Brand.”
“We are still seeing sites such as the Rubicon River recording chemical contamination, this time of MCPA, and some waterways having multiple chemicals detected, such as Tuckers Creek which recorded at last four pesticides.”
“There must also be action taken by authorities to trace the source of chemical contamination, with clear ramifications for those found responsible for contaminating waterways and non-target land, as proposed in the Greens’ Chemical Trespass legislation,” Ms O’Connor said.
