[Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE - SENATOR CHRISTINE MILNE - AMA pulp mill public health warning just be heeded: Greens

[Willis, Katrina (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday, 25 September 2006

AMA pulp mill public health warning must be heeded: Greens

The Australian Greens today called on the federal and state governments
to heed the Australian Medical Association's (AMA) damning assessment
that Gunns' proposed pulp mill will release measurable important
pollutants and could cause more deaths.

Greens Senator for Tasmania, Christine Milne, said the AMA's assessment
of the Integrated Impact Statement (IIS), submitted to the Resource
Planning and Development Commission, provides further evidence in
support of the case against the pulp mill.

"It is of concern that the AMA has found that the atmospheric modelling
in Gunns' IIS is inadequate and that none of the claims that Gunns makes
on air quality in the study can be substantiated," Senator Milne said.

"The Tamar Valley was rejected as a possible site for a Bleached
Eucalypt Kraft Chlorine pulp mill in 1988 because the atmospheric
inversion would result in unacceptable air pollution. Now we know that
smaller particulate matter (2.5ppm) is even more dangerous than the
previous benchmark of 10ppm.

"The federal government has spent millions of dollars in recent years
trying to reduce the air pollution load in the Tamar Valley during
winter by reducing wood smoke pollution. 

"It makes no sense now to allow a wood-fired power station to compromise
public health.

"It is time that both the Liberal and Labor parties recognised that the
public interest needs to be served rather than the corporate profits of
Gunns and its shareholders.

"The federal government must reverse its decision to contribute $5
million to the pulp mill project and ensure that public health is
prioritised." 

Contact: Katrina Willis 03 6234 4566 or 0437 587 562


Katrina Willis
Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone 03 6234 4566
Fax 03 6234 2144
Mobile 0437 587 562
www.christinemilne.org.au