----- Original Message -----
From: "Brenda Rosser" <[email protected]
To: <[email protected]
Cc: "The Advocate News" <[email protected]; "TCT"
<[email protected]; "TasTalking Forum" <[email protected];
"Environmental Defenders Office Tasmania" <[email protected]
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 2:42 PM
Subject: Drinking water contamination
24th January 2002, 2.07pm
John Mollison
Chemical Registrar
DPIWE
Tasmania
Dear Mr Mollison
Further to our conversation a few minutes ago I reiterate my request for your department to
substantiate your assertion that spray drift of agricultural chemicals and subsequent
contamination of our drinking water is NOT occuring in heavily populated regions on the NW Coast
subject to a multitude of aerial spraying operations annually.
Our water tanks at West Calder were contaminated with Simazine (sprayed against label
instructions). This incident, of community rainwater contamination, was found ACCIDENTALLY...ie not by any systematic
checking of the safety of our drinking water.
THE ORIGINAL LEVELS OF CONTAMINATION WERE UNKNOWN.
Given that aerial spraying is occurring in Takone, Oldina, and Yolla regions with households collecting roof water for drinking placed at all directions (ie North, South, East and West) from the location of the aerial spraying WHAT RISK ASSESSMENT has your department been involved in that has determined the safety of our and neighbouring communities???
The aerial spraying code says specifically:
"20. Your spraying must not adversely affect any people, plants, stock, produce, waterbodies,
groundwater or soil outside of the target area unless you have obtained prior permission
from the owner of the premises that may be affected by the spraying."
Therefore, your Department is obliged to ensure that the aerial spraying code is being adhered to.
Yet I have been informed today by David Parsley at the Spray Complaints Unit that your Department is not even aware of the incidence of spraying that happened twice this morning and earlier this week. I'm told you don't know what chemicals are being used nor who is spraying and in what circumstances.
So, I ask you, what data do you actually have to perform a risk assessment in the first instance????
You KNOW that the pesticide drifts kilometres. Your department was made aware several times of the contamination in the West Calder community.Given that no spraying took place within kilometres of West Calder this was bonafide evidence of aerial spray drift. Further a document I have obtained from your department testifies to drift of up to 17 kilometres from this activity. A CSIRO expert has informed me that the ridiculous buffer zones mentioned in the spraying code cannot possibly be adhered to when the spraying that does take place occurs:
I ask you again, because you clearly failed to answer when I asked you today:
WHY WOULDN'T RAINWATER CONTAMINATION OCCUR in such circumstances????
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS AND HAVE BEEN NO ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR WATER, LAND AND OUR HEALTH?????
Since it is your Department that has devised this code I and my family hold you accountable to ensure that the Code is enforced. Please provide the evidence that substantiates that you are doing just that.
Regards
Brenda Rosser