Help keep WA GE free!

The Western Australian Government is currently reviewing its Genetically Modified Crops Free Areas Act. WA is the biggest source of non-GE canola in Australia and it is vitally important that the state remains GE free.

How to take action? - make a submission to the review:

See the Greenpeace True Food Network website for more info and/or:

A background paper is available from the Department of Agriculture and Food. Email gmcrops@agric.wa.gov.au, telephone (08) 9368 3327 or 9368 3530 or download from the Department’s website (www.agric.wa.gov.au/ under Hot Topics).

Submissions should be no longer than 10 single-sided pages. A submission which is not legible or has a font size of less than 11 pt will not be considered. All submissions, including the name and address of the submitting person/organisation will be placed on the Department of Agriculture and Food’s website for public information.

Submissions are required by close of business on 14 August 2009. Email submissions are preferred to the gmcropsreview@agric.wa.gov.au mailbox.

Simulated real-time CO2 emissions, birth & death rates by country

An interesting exercise...

A visual real-time simulation that displays the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, birth rates, and death rates of every country in the world.

Breathing Earth Net

BHPbilliton Asbestos Risk

One could be forgiven for thinking that these pictures are from a industrial operation in a 3rd world country or an abandoned operation in outback Australia - No, the pictures are of BHPbilliton Kwinana Nickel Refinery the worlds 3rd largest producer of Nickel.


In 2004 this shed was declared a no go zone because of the danger, all these years later and despite complaints from members of the community BHPbilliton and our authorities have done nothing to rectify this situation.


It really is a shame that such a BIG AUSTRALIAN and the worlds largest mining company can't even afford to replace some asbestos on a shed., or is it a case of BHPbilliton just doesn't really care enough to bother spending money to do the right thing by the local community and workers?

Addition 12-08-09
Some background information on Asbestos can be found here:
A brief history of Asbestos
Asbestos its chemical and physical properties
Asbestos a manufacturing health hazard dating to prehistoric times - pg 1
Asbestos a manufacturing health hazard dating to prehistoric times - pg 2

BHP Refuses to release spill information

Nearly a year ago BHPbilliton killed about 14 native trees and caused other environmental damage when the Kwinana Nickel Refinery line to the Baldivis ponds ruptured.

Since then we have frequently asked BHP for a copy of the report on the incident. BHP simply ignored our requests until early June when I brought the issue up again at a EIP meeting, BHP then promised we would have an answer in writing by the end of June. Finally on 30th July I received a response in writing - trouble is that response doesn't really say a lot but it seems BHP is not going to release this report to us.

It is hard to swallow BHPbillitons claims in its company charter and as used in its public advertising:

"We have an overriding commitment to health, safety, environmental responsibility and sustainable development - To earn the trust of the community we must be forthright in our communications and consistently deliver on commitments - We are successful when the communities in which we operate value out citizenship".

The Kwinana Nickel Refinery has long operated as a secret service, even when it was previously owned by WMC I recall another refusal to release a report on the mass arsenic contamination in groundwater under the refinery, in the end the story of refusal to release the report hit the West Australian and the report was made public:

Just what does BHPbilliton have to hide?

What ever happened to 'community right to know?

People from Kwinana also involved in US lawsuit

It should be pointed out that the 240 plantiffs involved in the US lawsuit against Alcoa are not only people from Wagerup but also include some of those allegedly affected by Kwinana and Pinjarra Refineries.

I do not understand why this continues to be kept out of the public?

Maybe someone can elighten me?

WA residents file massive US lawsuit against Alcoa

As per the email alert I sent out the night before last, this is big news:

"RESIDENTS living near Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery have filed a massive US lawsuit - led by health crusader Erin Brockovich."

See the story on TribLive, Perthnow, theWest,

The Australian law firm involved are Shine Lawyers here.

Update 13-06-09:

Alcoa deceived locals from the start, US writ alleges:

"Lawyer William Caroselli said Alcoa had put its bottom line and making money ahead of the safety of the environment and the public's health.

``As a result of their (Alcoa's) negligence and recklessness there are a lot of sick people who, through no fault of their own, are fated to lives full of illness, pain, and suffering. We intend to hold Alcoa accountable,'' Mr Caroselli told The Sunday Times".

Full story on Perthnow and in the Sunday Times.

Perfluorochemicals in Biosolids

Are perfluorochemicals widespread in biosolids?

"“We are finding that, for perfluorochemicals, they are showing up where we didn’t expect them to be. The levels vary, but these seem to be universal chemicals that are showing up everywhere,” Hora adds.

EPA recently completed a survey of organic contaminants in sludge but did not measure perfluorochemicals. “When the study started, we didn’t have a method,” says Rudzinki. “We won’t be able to analyze those samples now because they are stored in Teflon containers,” she adds."

An interesting and credible journal article on the major data gaps that exist in relation to waste sludges (biosolids) and waste waste water treatment.

See the full story here.

Thanks to NTN