Tasmanian doctors have warned of potential health risks to Tasmanians that could arise from the advent of shale and coal seam gas mining in the state.
Tasmanian members of Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) are concerned that the push to mine shale gas, oil and coal seam gas in Tasmania could lead to an increased disease burden in communities near such projects.
In May 2013, DEA released ‘The Health Factor’, a damning report on the health effects on communities across Australia from coal and coal seam gas projects. The report revealed a costly legacy for Australia’s health due to under-regulation of the pollution caused by a number of resource projects.
The Health Factor details specific case studies from around the country where governments and resource companies have failed to protect human health, and calls for health impact assessments to be a mandatory part of the approval process for any polluting industrial project.
The report points out that research and regulation on coal seam gas lags well behind the expansion of these developments, and the extent to which human health may be compromised is not yet fully understood.
“While coal seam gas mining might benefit the Tasmanian economy in the short term, evidence from elsewhere in Australia shows that these developments are often approved without thorough assessment of potential health risks,” said DEA Tasmanian Representative, Dr Rohan Church.
“The social and health costs of mining coal and coal seam gas have largely not been assessed adequately in Australia. The accusation that opponents to shale gas and oil exploration in Tasmania are scaremongering and lying is abhorrent.”
DEA is not alone in its concerns about the health risks of coal seam gas. The Australian Medical Association lists coal seam gas as a key health issue for the federal election and calls for all future proposals to be subject to rigorous and independent health risk assessments, taking into account the potential for air and ground water pollution ( https://ama.com.au/keyhealthissues ).
Although DEA in Tasmania was unable to prepare a submission before the closing date for objections to coal seam gas exploration in Tasmania, the organisation is writing to the state Director of Mines, Kim Creak, and the Premier Lara Giddings to raise these concerns.
“The Health Factor” can be downloaded from:
http://dea.org.au/news/article/the-health-factor-ignored-by-industry-overlooked-bygovernment
