RESIDENT’S FUMING OVER NEW REVELATION THAT NEW CHUM TOXIC DUMP IS RECEIVING UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF DDT, ARSENIC, CYANIDE & ASBESTOS
Community Protest Meeting, 1pm, Saturday 15thSeptember, Redbank School of Arts Hall, Brisbane Rd, Redbank
Activist, DrPatricia Petersen, said that residents are livid with rage over the new revelation that the previous state Labor government, issued a licence forunlimi...
ted amounts of hazardous waste, such as DDT, arsenic and asbestos, every year, to be dumped within hundreds of metres of their homes, schools and recreation areas.
She claims that community members are also angry with the Ipswich City Council for handing over all decisions in relation to the toxic landfill at New Chum to the previous state Labor government.
“Documentation from the state government has finally come through, which confirms what we’ve known for some time - unlimited amounts of toxic, hazardous waste is being dumped at New Chum. Millions of tonnes of dangerous chemicals, pesticides and materials, are being tossed into a landfill within hundreds of metres of homes, schools and playgrounds. Residents are fuming. They are livid with rage,” she said. “Some Ipswich City Councillors have claimed that Transpacific has an application before Council to expand its operations from 50,000 to 1.9 million tonnes per year. This claim is blatantly false. This application is non-existent; it simply does not exist. In 2001, the company was granted permission from the state government to increase its operations to an unlimited amount. The company has been open about its operations – it has confirmed that 1.2 million tonnes of toxic waste is currently being dumped at the site,” she said.
“Residents want local politicians to get behind them, stand by them and support them. They are disgusted that even now, some local politicians are denying that there is toxic waste being dumped at New Chum. It’s time for the truth and the community isn’t going to take any distortions or falsehoods about the dump lying down,”said Dr Petersen.
Dr Petersen said that Transpacific’s licence, which became effective April 2010, states that an upper limit of 10% of the landfill’s total waste per year can be highly toxic materials and chemicals. However, she also pointed out that because the landfill is allowed to dump an unlimited, infinite amount of waste at the site, this means that the dump operators can actually dump unlimited amounts of toxic waste at the site too.
“10% of infinity, is infinity. The landfill is allowed to dump at unlimited amount of waste at the site, 10% of which every year can be toxic waste. 10% of an infinite amount of toxic waste, is an infinite amount of toxic waste,” she said.
Dr Petersen said that an aboriginal woman who lives close to the dump and whose one year old baby has been scarred for life from sores/ rashes will be at the meeting.
“An aboriginal meeting who claims that her two month old baby developed strange rashes and sores all over his body from the dump and was wrongly treated will be at the meeting. She wants to show residents the life-long scars that were left on the boy’s body,” she said.
Dr Petersen said that she is organising a 6th and final community protest meeting for Saturday, 15th Sept. The event begins at 1pm and is at the Redbank School of Arts Hall, Brisbane Rd, Redbank.
Dr Petersen has invited Mayor Paul Pisasale, Cr’s Victor Attwood and Paul Tully and state MP Jo-Ann Miller to the meeting. Mayor Pisasale and Cr Victor have already declined the invitation. Dr Petersen said that she was hopeful that Cr Tully and Mrs Miller would be in attendance.
“Unless more information comes to light, this will probably be the last protest meeting that I organise. After this weekend, residents will have had an opportunity to see all relevant documentation regarding what’s in the dump, who’s responsible for putting it in there and the likely health impacts of the landfill staying where it is,” said Dr Petersen.
“Residents are telling me that they want action, not more talking,” she said.
Toxic Tours Ipswich
