As reported on perthnow Alcoa has been charged with criminal negligence.
Do not underestimate the significance of the statement "Alcoa has been charged with criminal negligence".
Alcoa are also currently battling a number of fronts with US Activist Erin Brockovich apparently still pursuing legal action in the US, on behalf of residents and workers from around Wagerup, Pinjarra and Kwinana.
This latest news is big, the WA Department of Environment and Conservation have charged Alcoa with Criminal Negligence over emissions of toxic particulate matter from it 'red mud' tailings dams at Wagerup.
'Red Mud' is an innocuous term invented by Alcoa - however what it really is - is highly toxic mining waste containing radionuclide's, heavy metals, fluoride. sodium hydroxide etc, that Alcoa dumps in ever increasing piles covering hundreds of hectares near Alcoa's refineries because they don't know what else to do with it. Many people over the years have been put at risk and exposed to these particulates largely made up of the fine fraction <PM2.5 micron in diameter. Alcoa has been charged with pollution offences and convicted over the years - but not with criminal negligence.
History shows that this move by the DEC is out of character for our environmental regulator, so let us hope that it is a sign of change in the right direction.
Update 24-01-09: The Alcoa case has apparently been transferred to the Magistrates Court at the Central Law Court in Perth and is scheduled for 23rd April 2009.
The Montegiallo School of Swearing
2 weeks ago
1 comment:
Time will tell just what this charge means, or if its just a stratagy to get people to back off.
I agree it's totally out of character for the Environmental regulator and DEC,the question remains why did it take 4 years to realise that Alcoa had done little more than thumb their nose after the previous environmental conviction & fine?
It had better go further than the magistrates court, they are too limited in the fine they can impose. Alcoa should be fined at least the 1 million if not more, the same as in the US. It's time these companies were bought into line,the technology is there so they have no excuse apart from greed for not using it.
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