Simazine pollution detected in Latrobe River may be highest level recorded on mainland Australia.
Pollution in the Latrobe River from the agricultural herbicide, Simazine, may have been the highest ever recorded on mainland Australia and the highest recorded in Australia for almost 20 years. (Simazine is closely related to the infamous Atrazine, which has been found to chemically castrate amphibians at levels as low as 0.1 parts per billion).
The testing was carried out by the Department of Primary Industries in 2007 as part of a pilot project. Friends of the Earth gained access to the test results via a Freedom of Information request.
Friends of the Earth researcher Anthony Amis said; “the detection of Simazine at 30 parts per billion, from a grab sample in December 2007, is likely to be the highest event recorded for this particular herbicide on mainland Australia. Higher levels were detected in Tasmania in the early nineties, but according to our pesticide pollution database, no other simazine event has quite matched what was measured in the Latrobe River near Rosedale in December 2007. The high simazine reading also breaches the EPA's State Environment Protection Policies. Why isn't the EPA also getting involved in monitoring waterways for pesticides and why aren't they investigating this pollution event?”
“It is highly likely that the Simazine was used by farmers on irrigated pastures near the Latrobe River. It may also have been used by plantation companies. What is disturbing is that traces of Simazine were detected in the two test times, June and December 2007, potentially meaning that the herbicide could be polluting the river on a year round basis. Friends of the Earth has concerns that other irrigated pastures such as those located on the Macalister River could also be leaching Simazine into waterways. The Macalister River is water supply for Maffra and Stratford, yet no testing is being done to determine if Simazine also leaching into this river” said Mr Amis.
“If this pollution is ongoing, then essentially the Latrobe River is being used as an agricultural drain. This is a most unsatisfactory result which could also impact on the viability of the Ramsar listed Gippsland Lakes” Mr Amis added. “It is good that the Department of Primary Industry has carried out this pilot testing, however it is our desire that pesticide testing of waterways be extended to other regions. Pesticide testing is urgently required throughout several regions in Victoria, however we would like to see a priority given to the Macalister River in Gippsland”.
Low levels of the forestry herbicide hexazinone were also detected in the Latrobe as well as quite high levels of the cattle tick insecticide ethion, which was detected near Moe.
“Some big questions remain. Firstly, where did these pesticides originate? Secondly, how did they get into the water? And third: what is the extent of the contamination and who is undertaking this mapping to determine human and environmental exposure to pesticides” concluded Mr Amis.
For further information contact Anthony Amis: (03) 9419 8700 Thursday (03) 9830 6164 Friday.
