News from the Secretary, March 2005
This is very much a ‘Chemical and Pollution’ Newsletter
1. Mariann Lloyd-Smith joins DEA Management Committee
Mariann Lloyd-Smith is the Coordinator of the National Toxics Network Inc (NTN), a public interest non-government organisation which is the Australian focal point for the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN). Mariann has a PhD from the Faculty of Law at the University of Technology (UTS), Sydney. She has worked in the area of chemical and waste management for over two decades, including co-authoring Australia’s national management plans for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), developing information systems to support environmentally-sound chemical management and representing the community sector in a range of technical advisory groups and regional/international chemical negotiations.
2.The National Toxics Network.
This is a community-based network working for pollution reduction, protection of environmental health and environmental justice for all. NTN was first formed in 1993 and since then has grown as a national network to support community and environmental organisations across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
We recommend the NTN website http://www.oztoxics.org to members of DEA, and in particular the Community Information Section.. It has information on a variety of toxic chemicals, a briefing paper on Children’s Environmental Health and topical issues such as the hazards of CCA treated timber. NTN is participating in Body Burden Monitoring (see below).
3 Cooperation between DEA and NTN
DEA lacks expertise in the sphere of toxic substances in environmental health. Mariann Lloyd-Smith will guide us in this area. NTN needs the backing of the medical profession in their submissions to government and their representations at an international level. DEA will provide this. Thus this cooperation will be of benefit to both organisations.
4. Body Burden Monitoring
All of us are aware of Ministers drinking water from potentially polluted rivers to demonstrate that the water is fit for drinking, or in the case of a UK Minister having his daughter eat a burger to show that British beef was safe (which it was not)! Recently, it was with great confidence that UK Minister, Alun Michael agreed to have his blood tested for chemicals. Tony Blair had appointed him to protect the public from poisonous chemicals. No doubt he said “Yes Prime Minister” for as an enthusiastic hill walker and avid consumer of organic food, he was confident no that he was “purer” than his colleagues. In his blood it was shown that he had 33 hazardous man-made chemicals including flame-retardants, pesticides and industrial plastics. In a Ministerial statement, perhaps prepared by Sir Humphrey, he said that everyone in the UK was being exposed to chemicals but the levels were extremely low and should not be a cause for immediate alarm.
Body Burden Monitoring provides an effective and powerful decision-making and lobbying tool to reduce chemical exposure. DEA will be supporting NTN’s work on this issue.
5. Children’s Environmental Health Policy
Doctors for the Environment Australia’s Children’s Environmental Health Policy is now on our web page www.dea.org.au . We are very keen to have feed back and criticism from members.
6. The Australian Grand Prix Plants Trees.
Whether petrol heads or not, we are sure that most DEA members would agree that car racing on city streets causes noise and air pollution. In addition there is the compromise of public green space. However contracts with car racing organisations have been signed by our governments and perhaps we should do our best with these organisations to get a health message attached to these popular events.
Two years ago we approached Minister Thwaites about asking the Grand Prix to institute a green house mitigation program, for example by planting trees, to balance the green house emissions for each event. The Minister supported our thoughts and facilitated contact with the Grand Prix. No doubt others have done the same and we claim no special credit for a recent announcement from the Grand Prix. However we are pleased with this month’s press release. “Grand Prix Goes Green House Neutral”. It was estimated that 200 tons of CO2 were generated and 747 native trees will be planted in the Murray Darling rescue program.
But we are still not satisfied. We believe that the 200 tons may be an underestimate and we wish health messages to accompany these announcements.We will continue the dialogue
We also intend to pursue similar initiatives in other States that stage car races. We had a knock-back from the South Australian government but we will try again!
We mention the Grand Prix because it is illustrative of many issues that we pursue quietly behind the scenes. This work costs time and money and we value your financial membership which enables us to operate
7. Request for Information
Donna Green is researching air pollution from certain industries and asks DEA members for help. She states “I am seeking studies that look at establishing links between air pollution from coal mines or coal-fired power stations (or for that matter petrol refineries, oil and gas extraction plants and aluminium smelters) and human health. I imagine there might be specific work on vulnerable populations (asthmatics, children, elderly with pre-existing heart or respiratory conditions) who are likely to be the first to feel the effects of such air pollution. So far, I have found some published work from the Latrobe Valley (from studies in the mid 80's) but nothing much since. I am aware that there is a discrete study going on now for school children in Singleton looking at the use of asthma puffers. Other than that, I haven't heard of any others. My interest in this work is due to its connection with energy justice. By this I mean that I am looking at the question of fairness that many of these industries directly associated with fossil fuels (or in the case of aluminium highly energy intensive) do not pay for the social costs that result from their activities. The justice question also arises in the inequitable distribution of these social costs in the population. I am currently doing research on this issue, for publication in a book later this year. Any thoughts or ideas that any of your colleagues might have on this (or related issues) would be very eagerly received, either by Email (dlgreen@unsw.edu.au) or, if preferred by phone (02 9389 6438, 0417 455 920).”
David Shearman
Hon. Secretary