Following the shock death of hundreds of fish in the Georges River on the weekend, local Member of Parliament Melanie Gibbons has called upon the Environment Protection Authority (EPA() and state government to prosecute polluters to the full degree of the law.
“Like all residents along the Georges River, particularly at Moorebank, Casula and Chipping Norton, I was very distressed at the damage done by polluters,’’ Ms Gibbons said.
“Whether an accidental spill or deliberate dumping of chemical waste, it is totally unacceptable to treat our beautiful waterway as a sewer.’’
The EPA has called on members of the public to come forward with any information that may assist in the investigation of this contamination.
“I spoke to the Minister for the Environment, Rob Stokes and he is committed to not only tracking down the source of this contamination but also prosecuting the polluters,’’ the MP said.
“We are also looking at how we can work together with Liverpool Council to detect and prevent such damage in the future.’’
Ms Gibbons has asked Liverpool Council to map all storm water drain outlets into the Georges River in the LGA, to better understand the risks of spills and develop a management plan.
“I’m sure we can work together to better protect our lovely Georges River,” she said.
The chemical spill is a reminder of the dangers to the environment posed by the Federal government’s Moorebank Intermodal mega freight terminal.
“This environmental damage is a timely reminder of the dangers posed by the Federal government’s Moorebank Intermodal. Thousands of diesel trains and trucks operating on the banks of the Georges River and moving containers of unknown chemicals across and alongside our river is a recipe for serious environmental risk and damage,’’ Ms Gibbons said.
“I’m also pleased that today a major newspaper has supported my call to relocate the Moorebank Intermodal away from the banks of the Georges River and to the industrial lands at Badgerys Creek where risks to the environment and residents can be much better managed.”.
If you have information about the Georges River chemical spill please call the Enviroline 131555 or provide it online at www.epa.nsw.gov.au
The NSWEPA is the principal body setup (at great annual expense) to monitor the environment. Asking Council to setup a system that also monitors possible pollution is another cost shifting exercise that detracts from already stretched ratepayer funds. Last year a similar chemical spill occurred in Cabramatta Creek at Prestons, also resulting in fish kills. Council was able to trace it to an industrial area but not its exact location.
Considering the enormous illegal dumping activities that occur every day and particularly on weekends, I fail to understand why the NSWEPA appears to be woefully inadequate in tracing, fining and preventing such highly prolific illegal activity.
Dumping of excavated material from construction sites, often containing highly toxic chemicals onto rural properties has reached epidemic proportions. Yet despite that fact hundreds of illegal tipping operations occur every weekend in the rural areas such as Luddenham, Austral and Bringelly. Logging calls to the NSWEPA rarely results in positive action let alone feedback. Writing to relevant state MPs receives the usual reply: “We are looking into the matter”, well it’s not good enough, several children in rural areas have been hospitalised by coming into contact with highly contaminated toxic excavated material from contaminated building sites, while cattle have mysteriously died on rural properties, so far without adequate explanations. It goes without saying, that I have little faith in the NSWEPA finding and fining the culprits for the latest toxic spill into the Georges River and while that remains the illegal activities will continue unabated!