Toxic spill seeping into Parramatta River

Toxic spill seeping into Parramatta River

au.news.yahoo.com

A local Liberal MP says the New South Wales Government has been slow to act on a toxic spill at industrial sites along Parramatta River.

Four industrial sites on the Camellia peninsula, near Rosehill Racecourse, have been found to contain chromium VI - a cancer causing agent.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is quite a horrible little incedent. Yes the fact that chromium 6 is getting into the Parramatta River but mostly how slow the government is acting on the issue.

"It's too little too late. It's far more of a problem than they've ever admitted to," he said.

They say there is no direcct threat to people. i'm sure there would be a direcct threat to wildlife and fish. So indirectly people who it fish caught in the river would be directly exposed to the "cancer causing agent".



au.news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

sad when your the first to reply to your own thread.

Chrome-plated case of too little action, too late: MP

Gary Hayton, who worked at the Patrick site for seven years, said: "Governments knew about it, councils knew about it, the workplace knew about it, WorkCover knew about it, but nothing gets done. It's really bad."

He told the Herald he was threatened with the sack "unless I pulled my head in".

Chromium VI is a know carcinogen. if inhaled its believed to cause lung cancer. Also has an direct toxic affect on plants and wildlife.
What is disturbing is the problem has been known for 20 years, yet nothing has been done.
Looks like an attempt to hide the issue by the government.

Patrick's environment report in 2007 found the groundwater discharging into the Parramatta River was heavily contaminated with chromium VI and was "generally well above human health and ecological criteria".

Originally posted by spearhead

They say there is no direcct threat to people. i'm sure there would be a direcct threat to wildlife and fish. So indirectly people who it fish caught in the river would be directly exposed to the "cancer causing agent".

au.news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm sure you're right - and right to be concerned.

Polluters in North America routinely pushed the idea of dispersion and dissipation - meaning "it's a big wide world and a little bit won't hurt cuz once it scatters you'll never notice it."

Patronizing and inaccurate advice. Dead wrong. The world's just not that big. And little bits CAN hurt. FYI

-sofi

I crossed a footbridge over the Parramatta River recently and was appalled by the dirty water. I actually would be gobsmacked if there was ANY marine life in there at the moment. Looks to me like all marine life is dead. I did see some some birds in the trees overhanging the riverbank.

That water was brown and dirty, not flowing. I think I may be much older than you and I can tell you that this river has always had a reputation of being filthy and pretty much, dead. I can recall many times when I was younger that this polluted river became the focus of environmental debate. I would urge people to not even put their feet into that water...who knows what affliction may follow.

Our government (and those in other countries) do not care for these delicate little ecosystems found everywhere in and around our cities.
The toxic chemical waste and poisons produced as a result of manufacturing is overlooked because making money and being greedy is more important to companies and governments.

You only have to look at the chemicals they put in processed foodstuffs to get the message that they do not care about the health and wellbeing of people...let alone the flora and fauna on this planet.

Domestic (household) waste is also a factor and until the majority of people wake up and really think about what they are doing and how their habits impact on the environment around them, more rivers will die and more species will disappear.

I believe mankind is the engineer of his own demise.


take care all
res

[edit on 16-5-2009 by resistancia]

The Parramatta River is the main source flowing into the Sydney Harbour.

WIKI

Until 1970 the river was an open drain for Sydney's industry and consequently the southern central embayments are contaminated with a range of heavy metals and chemicals.

there are five particularly contaminated areas of Sydney Harbour, and that four of them are in the Parramatta river system.
The main contaminated areas of the Parramatta River are:

Homebush Bay - dioxins, lead, phthalates, DDT, PAHs (coal tars) mainly originating from nearby chemical factories of Berger Paints, CSR Chemicals, ICI/Orica, and Union Carbide.
Iron Cove - various metals and chemicals with no clearly defined point source. Pollution may possibly enter through Iron Cove Creek and Hawthorne Canal.
Off former AGL site, now redeveloped as Breakfast Point.

In the areas monitored the water quality is "generally acceptable".
The river is only monitored for e-coli and poop. But to the west where industrial development and recreational use of the river has signifigantly increased, no testing is conducted.
Fishing has been completely prohibited in the Sydney Harbour and its tributaries due to the contaminated sediment.
I find it most like due to the down flow from the Parramatta River.

The Parramatta River is one of the few significant coastal rivers in New South Wales which has not been the subject of a Healthy Rivers Commission Investigation.

Toxic Waste Seeping into the River.


Contaminated Soil


One of the most contaminated areas - Alexandria Canals




[edit on 18/5/09 by spearhead]