EPA test results of Port Augusta ash cloud show adverse health affects will ‘still remain’
FURIOUS Port Augusta residents have faced down Environment Minister Ian Hunter, as he toured the ash-covered town today and promised a long-term fix with six months.
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Read Minister Ian Hunter’s statements below
THE state’s environmental watchdog has conceded a large plume of dust blanketing Port Augusta is affecting residents’ health.
The admission came as the Environment Minister Ian Hunter blamed the sale of ETSA — almost 20 years ago — for the ash problem.
Residents have raised issues around breathing problems, red eyes, asthma attacks and urgent hospital trips since dust from the Northern Power Station started to hover over the town.
Senator Nick Xenophon urged the EPA to release all air monitoring test results recorded in the town to prove ash from the defunct coal-fired station was not detrimental to people’s health.
It comes after a letter obtained by The Advertiser stated an independent consultant had found levels of barium and magnesium at the power station were above levels allowable for ash to be classed as “waste fill”.
The EPA released the air monitoring test results on its website late on Tuesday which included advice from SA Health that “adverse health affects still remains despite the relatively low toxic potential of the dust”.
The website stated a dust suppressant would be resprayed on the 250ha ash dam today as a temporary solution after heavy rain washed away the previous suppressant last week.
Chemical expert Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith, from the National Toxics Network, said magnesium caused vomiting and muscle weakness at high levels while barium affected the digestive tract.
“Regardless of what toxins are in the coal ash, when you have small particles you have problems for respiratory, cancer, heart attacks, stroke and a whole range of things.
“A community being exposed to a mixture of small particles — what ever the contaminants — you have a problem,” she said.
In a bizarre written media statement, Mr Hunter on Tuesday blamed the ash problem on the Olsen Government’s privatisation of ETSA in 1999.
“The problem of ash blowing over Port Augusta and causing distress to local residents is one of the legacies left to South Australians by the Liberal Party privatisation of the state’s electricity assets,” Mr Hunter stated.
He further went on to explain that Flinders Power, the company which now owns the site, had responsibility for ensuring ash was not a “menace to the public”.
ETSA had been company previously responsible for the site. After ETSA was privatised it became affiliated with Alinta Energy and officially changed names in 2010. Flinders Power was part of Alinta.
Mr Hunter issued a follow-up statement later in the day to revealing he would meet with Flinders Power on-site in Port Augusta today to make sure earthworks to permanently cap the ash dam, which were delayed by the December storm, resumed as quickly as possible.
Port Augusta Mayor Sam Johnson said he warned the Government up to 15 months ago there would be issues once the station closed.
He said Mr Hunter had been “caught with his pants down” by only acknowledging the problem after it was reported by The Advertiser.
“Ever since we had the announcement the station would close, we raised issues about the remediation of the site,” he said.
“You can’t close a power station operating for more than 60 years and expect not to have an environmental impact.
“The EPA advice is claiming that the ash is non-toxic, but I would seriously question that. Whether it’s toxic or not, lungs are not designed for ash.”
Mr Johnson said there must be an immediate solution provided by either the Federal or State governments not just “band-aid fix”.
“The Federal Government can weigh into the debate as it’s the first of many closures to come and at the moment they’re setting a precedent,” he said.
“No one should have to bear and suffer what has happened at Port Augusta, particularly over the last two days.
“But if we’re going to point the finger at anyone it’s the State Government, they’re the ones that are negligent.
“They can go and spend $20 million on three tram stops and $3 billion on a hospital that one patient hasn’t even been in.”
Liberal MP for Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the dust cloud was not an isolated event and the Minister had no one else to blame for the recent media attention.
“Ian Hunter and Cabinet were made aware of this in July when the same situation flared up because of heavy rain,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said.
“The bottom line is the State Government has the authority to require Alinta to fulfil any permanent remediation program.
“The company has said they’ll do whatever the Government wants, so the minster has no one else but themselves to blame.”
A statement from Flinders Power said a crop duster plane would be used to add dust suppressant to the ash dam today and over the next week.
It’s so unbearable, Garth might leave
By Douglas Smith in Port Augusta
SUFFERING from respiratory disease pulmonary fibrosis, Port Augusta resident Garth Baker needs the aid of an oxygen tank just to breathe at the best of times.
But he says a plume of coal ash that is shrouding the regional centre and its surrounds is exacerbating his health problem. Mr Baker lives about 2km from the site of the defunct Northern Power Station, where coal ash that was suppressed when the plant was running is now flying freely into the air every time strong winds hit the area.
“I’ve now got pulmonary fibrosis of the lungs, and with all this fly ash coming through, my lungs just keep getting worse and worse and worse,” Mr Baker said.
“It’s getting unbearable and it feels like the government doesn’t want to do anything about it. I can’t have my windows open, because of the storms my doors built up, now my house is starting to be affected with all this coal ash (and) my car.
“I’m sick of washing every day and it just takes all of the energy out of me.”
Mr Baker said he and his wife might have to pack up and leave if the situation did not improve because it was getting too difficult to live there.
He was among a group of about 20 locals, some with health problems, who gathered at the Cinema Augusta complex yesterday to speak to The Advertiser about their concerns over the ash.
While Environment Minister Ian Hunter dragged his heels on the issue and will not travel to Port Augusta until today to meet residents, The Advertiser’s substitute Ian Hunter cutout was on hand at the site yesterday.
Trevor Robertson, who lives about 1km from the power station, said a permanent fix for the ash once the power station stopped generating power should have been resolved long ago. “The worst part is, people got upset because we could see it yesterday, but it’s there all the time and that’s the worst part because the smallest particles are the worst for the lungs.”
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER IAN HUNTER’S MORNING STATEMENT Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation
Port Augusta residents and Flinders Power ash problem
The problem of ash blowing over Port Augusta and causing distress to local residents is one of the legacies left to South Australians by the Liberal Party privatisation of the State’s electricity assets.
Ensuring the ash is not a menace to the public is, in the first instance, the responsibility of Flinders Power.
The State Government does not operate the site of power station.
SA’s independent regulator, the Environment Protection Authority, licensed Flinders Power and predecessor entity Alinta to operate the power station.
Licence conditions include a program for closure and rehabilitation of the site.
As minister, I have asked the EPA to meet representatives of Flinders Power as soon as possible to stress to the company that they have obligations under their licence.
The Government believes the private company which was running the power station as a commercial operation must bear the cost of the clean-up.
It would not be fair to burden taxpayers with unnecessary costs.
It should be noted that the EPA has been working cooperatively with Flinders Power to resolve the ash problem.
Trials conducted in November were successful in creating a crust on the ash dam as a temporary solution pending permanent treatment of the ash.
However, the extraordinary and unpredicted deluge of rain on 28 December destroyed parts of the rust, leading to the current exposure of ash dust.
The EPA will report to me as soon as possible on immediate remedies to the issue as well as resumption of a capping program providing a permanent solution.
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER IAN HUNTER’S AFTERNOON STATEMENT
Update on Port Augusta residents and Flinders Power dust problem.
It is unacceptable that Port Augusta residents are being subjected to large levels of dust because of the failure of interim suppression measures.
At my request, the Environment Protection Authority today met representatives of the private operator, Flinders Power, to decide on immediate action to protect Port Augusta residents from further distress.
Earthwork as part of a programme to permanently cap the ash dam had been scheduled to start today but was forced into a delay by the storms and flooding on 28 December.
The storm also destroyed parts of the crust covering the ash which was an interim measure while the long-term solution was being prepared.
I am very concerned for local residents and tomorrow will be in Port Augusta to meet company representatives with senior EPA officers and also see first-hand the impact on the local community.
My visit was arranged earlier this morning so I could be satisfied all possible action is being taken both to provide immediate relief and ensure the permanent capping program resumes as soon as possible.
Flinders Power has told the EPA it intends to resume aerial spraying of dust suppressant sealant tomorrow, weather permitting.
The dust-suppressant was applied in November and can normally withstand medium to heavy rain but not the extreme weather events experienced during the last week.
Flinders Power intends this week also to begin using top soil as the long-term capping solution in a rehabilitation programme expected to take about six months to complete.
Residents concerned about the dust or seeking further information can contact the EPA on ortaugustadust@epa.sa.gov.a u or 8204 2004.