RSS feedDust and particulate matter
This section concerns the noxious effects of dust on the health of local communities, its environmental damage, the links to cancer and contaminated waterways, breaches of coal mining compliance requirements, the deadly impact of microscopic particles on human health and the refusal of the current government to heed the warnings and recommendations from their own scientific reports, and from those of the World Health Organisation.
1. Dust and some of its effects on health
Coal concentrates and accumulates the heaviest of metals, amongst other elements, most of which are bio-toxic; some of which are also radioactive, writes Dr Pauline Roberts
Fly-ash is full of heavy metals and radionucleides (naturally occuring radioactive materials) that sink to the bottom of the dams and leech into the groundwater.
New EPA Risk Assessment finds extraordinary cancer risk from coal ash - an Earthjustice Report.
The NSW government’s failure to crack down on polluting coal companies has contributed to the 50,000 tonnes of fine coal mine dust emitted in the Hunter in 2006-7.
Muswellbrook locals concerned about the impact of heavy dust storms in the Hunter region.
A report on compliance audits conducted by EPA Officers at 16 coal mines in NSW.
Coal plants generate more than 130 million tons a year of combustion waste - fly ash, bottom ash, scrubber sludge - laced with toxic metals like arsenic and mercury.
Audit uncovers mining disasters waiting to happen.
Photos: Coal is transported in uncovered wagons - read what James Hansen (NASA) describes as death trains here. In the community of Blackman's Flat, there are approximately 20 of these 'air pollution monitoring devices' (middle photo): this reject from a B-grade sci-fi film clearly shows the level of seriousness that the issue of dust raises with Labor. Click here to read about on-going EPA compliance breaches
2. Particulate matter and ultra-fine particles
There is increasing scientific and medical evidence that exposure to fine and ultra fine particles could have more significant health implications than exposure to larger particles
The toxicity of particulate matter, prepared using World Health Organisation findings
Lead is emitted in significant quantities by mining and other industrial activities at places such as Mount Isa and Port Kembla
Read extracts from Technical Report No. 3, from Environment Australia, May 2002
Lee Rhiannon says the Iemma government must act quickly to reduce the dangerous health impacts of fine particles in dust from Hunter coalmines by establishing a new EPA office in the Upper Hunter, publishing meaningful standards and conducting further research.
Further reading: source material and resources
- References and source material relating to toxic dust
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Go to the general reference page here.
- For topics relating to general mining, click here
- For topics relating to water use in the mining industry, go here
People's Blockade of the World's Biggest Coal Port
