News of more rivers contaminated. This time in the North West of Tassie.

In yesterday’s Mercury (21st March 2007): “Traces of the herbicide MCPA at a level of 0.27 parts per billion and atrazine at 0.05 ppb were found in the Duck River near Smithton. In the Inglis River near Wynyard traces of the herbicide Hexazinone were measured at 0.06 ppb.”

In the Advocate it is reported that the Chemicals Registrar (Ian Parr) was “unsure whether farmers or foresters were spraying too close to the water systems.”

Councillor Hine from Circular Head said “many farmers were currently spraying against various weeds…Farmers just need to be a bit careful with that sort of thing.”

However, the contamination of our rivers, creeks and rainwater tanks is a GUARANTEED result of normal (and legal) practice in this State.

See: https://www.geocities.com/rosserbj/this_is_a_perversion.html

All pesticides are dangerous and it is my understanding that it is a violation of federal law to claim that they are safe as Minister Llewellyn is claiming in yesterday’s Advocate.

i. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines “Drinking water should be safe to use and aesthetically pleasing. Ideally, it should be clear, colourless, and well aerated, with no unpalatable taste or odour, and it should contain no suspended matter, harmful chemical substances or pathogenic micro-organisms…”

ii. State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997 Clause 24 of the State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997 which provides that a person responsible for activities with the potential to contaminate groundwater must take appropriate safeguards to minimise the risk of contamination. Regulatory authorities (such as councils) should use their powers to require compliance with this objective Action is required to PREVENT future Contamination. Yet the state government has done nothing but legally perpetuate practices known to ENSURE continued contamination.

https://hancockwatch.nfshost.com/docs/adelaide.html#West