New evidence Tasmanian EPA is not doing its job

Exposed tank 2m x 2m filled with water at old Wentworth Park Landfill, Howrah

Bags of mine waste near open cut and Rosebery Creek

The Tasmanian Public and Environmental Health Network has today (Sat) released video footage and photographs of public health hazards from environmental waste at two different sites in Tasmania.

TPEHN spokesperson Kay Seltitzas said: “The images that we are releasing for the first time today, add to the long list of evidence that the EPA, over a long period of time, have been incapable of properly monitoring contaminated sites and polluting activities by companies and public authorities in Tasmania.

“The shocking images of Poppy Lopatniuk recently filmed showing the very large exposed boiler tank at Wentworth Park adds to the doubts about any monitoring of contamination at the old Wentworth Park Landfill or the approximately 200 other closed landfills across Tasmania. Of great concern is that no proper testing for contamination has ever been conducted at Wentworth Park by the EPA. The film footage of the exposed 2metre by 2metre tank filled with water buried at Wentworth Park clearly shows it posed a great risk to children and others using or working in the playground or sporting areas.

“Photographs of mine waste and also mine rubbish thrown into the highly contaminated Rosebery Creek and other areas on the Rosebery mine lease were taken six months after the EPA’s investigation in Rosebery in 2008. This shows that the EPA have been unable to detect and enforce compliance with regulations for mine operations in Rosebery.

The ABC’s expose on 4th November of the EPA’s 19 year failure to monitor K&D Brickworks in Lenah Valley (HERE) is only one example of the chaos inside the EPA. With only two full time and a few part-time/contract employees in the Contaminated Sites Unit it is impossible for staff to fulfill their job requirements.

The EPA is a powerless organisation and as a consequence industries are easily able get away with non compliance with their obligations under licenses to pollute and requirements to monitor and remediate. Currently the public can have no confidence that polluting industries are remediating the effects from current pollution or are accountable for their actions and that risks to public health and the environment are being minimised.

All political parties need to take urgent action to ensure that the EPA receives a major boost in funding and staffing so that the EPA can have the teeth it must have to perform its independent public and environmental health prevention functions.

Graffiti on Storage Shed with containers with no bunds

Mine waste in Rosebery Creek