The Alliance for a Clean Environment has today slammed the DEC for failing to clean up the Waste Control Fire site and allowing pollution to escape into the environment.
Eight years have passed since the Bellevue fire disaster that released thousands of kilograms of toxic waste into the atmosphere, groundwater and soil and affected the health of surrounding residents, businesses, fire fighters and post emergency cleanup personnel.
Numerous investigations, spanning eight years have not resulted in any remediation options. ACE representatives were outraged to hear that the DEC is no closer to a cleanup of the site than it was 7 years ago.
“What is very clear is that the DEC are utilising a method known as ‘Natural Attenuation’ so as to reduce the amount of contamination over time and therefore reduce the cleanup costs. Miraculously, the contamination has been reduced from 50 000 cubic metres to a mere 2000 cubic metres according to Golder Associates. It really is a case of the disappearing pollution…but far from actually disappearing - it is migrating into the environment, the atmosphere and ultimately into the ecosystems and bodies of the surrounding community”, exclaimed Jane Bremmer spokesperson for ACE.
“The Waste Control disaster represents the worst case management of a contaminated site and associated social impacts in WA’s history. The victims of this disaster have received no compensation, no health check follow ups and have been left with the legacy of this toxic time-bomb in their community, slowly leaching into the environment and atmosphere for the last 8 years.
Claims by the Contaminated Sites Manager, Kerry Laszig, that the waste degrades into “safe gases” have no credibility when it is well documented in many scientific reports that this material releases highly toxic vapours and degrades to chemicals such as vinyl chloride. The University of Minnesota states“…(TCE) are suspected carcinogens and some of the most abundant environmental pollutants of groundwater in the United States. In some groundwater, they undergo reductive dechlorination catalyzed by anaerobic bacteria that yields vinyl chloride, a potent human carcinogen.”.
In fact the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) states… “If PCE (which is also known as TCE and known to be at Waste Control in large amounts) pollutes surface water or surface soil, it will mostly evaporate into the air and disperse. PCE can readily travel through soil with little impedance and enter into groundwater, and… “The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that tetrachloroethylene may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen. Tetrachloroethylene has been shown to cause liver tumors in mice and kidney tumors in male rats.”
The DEC’s continued failure to respond to this slow disaster appears to be consistent with a lack of expertise in environmental health protection and a more worrying attitude towards the community, environment and their role in regulating industry and preventing pollution. This is of course not surprising news given the identification of these same issues in three WA parliamentary inquiries. (ie Alcoa, Waste Control and Esperance)
Releated Media:
Bellevue Toxic Site: Has Government in-action polluted the Helena River?
Environmental Health Protection neglected in WA…ACE calls for Independent Inquiry
Media Contact:
Jane Bremmer – Spokesperson. Phone: 08 6278 1447 Mobile: 0432 041 397
Alliance for a Clean Environment (Inc.)
