[Greens-Media] Toxic Sydney: How deep does it run?

[Claire ORourke]

Media Release								 22 August 2006

Toxic Sydney: How deep does it run?

Extended bans on using bore water for drinking, swimming pools and watering the garden in will send shockwaves through the inner western suburbs of Sydney, said Ian Cohen, NSW Greens Upper House MP.

“This is distressing news for residents who live in areas from Surry Hills to Tempe and east to Botany and Phillip Bay,” Mr Cohen said.

“The contamination of the Botany Sands aquifer is obviously far worse than residents in inner Sydney were led to believe.

“The State Government has been sitting on its hands rather than take action to protect Sydney residents. Minister Macdonald himself said today that Botany has been well known as an industrial area for the past 100 years, and he says the plume has been ‘actively managed’ for the past three years.

“These industrial sites have produced one of the most contaminated areas in the southern hemisphere, and now residents could pay for this corporate recklessness with their health.

“The Government must test affected residents for any potential adverse health affects. The recommendation for concerned residents to visit their GP is not good enough. A GP does not have the expertise to deal with cases of industrial poisoning.

“Thousands of barrels of Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) are still sitting at the Orica site at Botany, waiting to be destroyed. The Government is being irresponsible in allowing this toxic time bomb to sit in our backyard for decades.”

Further information: Claire O’Rourke 0409 810 139