CONSERVATIONISTS CALL FOR A BAN ON AERIAL SPRAYING IN
DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY CATCHMENTS
Conservationists and local residents representing
Friends of the Earth, Otway Environment Council and Friends of
Gippsland Bush today called on the State Government to immediately
ban aerial spraying of pesticides in domestic water supply catchments.
Conservationists are also calling on the State Government to release
all information pertaining to chemical use within catchments and
to eventually ban aerial spraying in catchments that are not domestic
water supplies.
"Tree plantations are the major source of aerial
spraying in the Gellibrand River catchment of the Otway Ranges,
said Otway Environment Council spokesperson Fiona Nelson. There
are several thousand hectares of pine plantations in the Gellibrand
River catchment which supplies drinking water to over 50,000 people
in the States South West. It is an outrageous proposition that
plantation companies are willing to risk people's health by aerially
spraying chemicals. We also have concerns about water pollution
and potential impacts of spray drift" Ms Nelson said.
Friends of the Earth spokesperson Anthony Amis added;
"Herbicides are used for weed control in plantations and farmlands.
It is absurd that plantation and agricultural companies are allowed
to spray in domestic water supply catchments. The risk of pollution
to water and air cannot be discounted. The public has no opportunity
to oppose spraying or to safeguard their water supplies from possible
contamination.
Mr Amis added, "The public has a right to
know what is being sprayed, in what volume and where the spraying
is occurring. They also have a right to know if pesticides are
entering their waterways.Recent events in Tasmania reveal that
water pollution can and does occur from spraying plantations.
Our organisation also have concerns about possible effects of
spray drift and we have concerns that the rapidly expanding bluegum
industry will use large volumes of aerially applied insecticides
in the near future. In February 2005 the Australian Medical Association
stated that independent monitoring needs to occur in regards to
environment and human health impacts of agricultural and industrial
activities in water [UTF-8?]catchments. Our organisation agrees
with this assessment" said Mr Amis.
]Friends of Gippsland Bush spokesperson Susie Zent
said, "As a victim of over exposure to chemicals, I fully
support calls for bans on aerial spraying of tree plantations.
However my group would also like to see the ban include all catchments
where people source their drinking water. My catchment is not
a designated water supply catchment, however it is still a source
for domestic and stock use. Aerial spraying in the northern Strzelecki
catchments has the potential to impact on the Gippsland Lakes
and spraying on the Strzelecki southern slopes has the potential
to impact on Nooramunga Marine Reserve. Risks to this Marine Park
cannot be discounted".
For further information call: Anthony Amis 9419
8700, Fiona Nelson 52 37 7345 and Susie Zent 51691588.
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