This is the federal
governments list of pollution levels for Mount Isa with 100 being the worst
and 0 being the best. Mount Isa is 100 in all toxins.
http://www.npi.gov.au/cgi-bin/npireport.pl?proc=facility_all;fac_search_string=mount%20isa%20mines;loc_type=national
Click to download large
image
In time CLEAN
hopes to undertake independent studies of soil, air and water quality. Our
councils assurances of clean water are not enough for most people in Mount
Isa. We hope to show things are good in Mount Isa but if
we can't we will be able to push for change.
The
history of Mount Isa can not be ignored in regards to Lead and other toxins.
Water testing, filtration, land care projects can and should be used to
overcome the worries and negative health impacts of the regions mining
history.
During our time putting this page together it has become obvious that at all
levels of government and business, Mount Isa has been understood to have a
problem with lead levels. The motive for nothing having done anything about
it, a general silence and discontinuation of living with lead brochures
(once in the Mount Isa welcome pack) seems to be in order to make profit and
shows little concern for public health. Simple precautions, safe play areas,
school yard cleanups and education are all affordable precautions and could
reduce the threat of lead poisoning in the general population of Mount Isa.
Mayor, Ron McCulloch and others in positions of power stating "if you don't
like it here, move" is not a good enough position for our elected or
business leaders.
Lead
poisoning and its effects are not new. The Romans lined their aqueducts with
lead and are said to have had high levels of madness, artists such as
Michelangelo Buonarroti are know to have died as a result of making and
using lead based white paint.
The
history of lead is in line with that of mercury, asbestos and so many
other dangerous products of society. Lead has been removed as an additive in
petrol because of its impacts on health in populated areas, yet our leaders
go on as though there is no lead and we are all doing fine, thank you.
In
the links below is indication of how much and how high the lack of concern
for our health goes. In the recent blood testing 10% of children were
measure as high when they had only tested 170 (the final percentage was
11%)l. At that time State government hinted that there was scare mongering
going on, given the implications of the study, the population of Mount Isa
surely had reason to be scared.
Background lead is also not an acceptable reason to not be concerned. The
background levels for Mount Isa are not naturally as high as has been
tested. The present high levels of lead in the town are due to the history
of mining practices in the area and ongoing practices.
CLEAN needs people willing to take action and support our "Lead Safe"
program. This program has started with the design of a new "Lead Safe"
brochure and needs to be followed up with lead safety education in schools
and for the general public.
Websites
http://www.npi.gov.au/
http://www.npi.gov.au/cgi-bin/npireport.pl?proc=facility_all;fac_search_string=mount%20isa%20mines;loc_type=national
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_poisoning
http://mountisa.yourguide.com.au/articles/1097179.html?src=search
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21331852-23289,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20973975-23289,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,21411729-2702,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,21408522-5006786,00.html
Documents
(Due
to the unstable nature of the internet we have supplied PDF copies of
documents from other sources. All documents have references however, if you
see your document here and do not wish us to publish it as a PDF, please
contact us and we will remove our copy.)
Studies/scientific information/
Communications
Blood Lead Notifications in
Queensland 2006
32497.pdf
Guidelines on the investigation
levels for soil and groundwater
cs_01_inv_levels.pdf
Elevated Blood Levels In
Children From Mount Isa
Elevated Pb
Blood levels in Isa1.pdf (as soon as something is released)
Abstract: The dispersal and
storage of sediment-associated metals in an arid river system: The Leichardt
River, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia
lead in
isa.pdf
Not yet overlooked papers
Kuypers et al. 2006.pdf
Mackay et al 2007.pdf
Taylor_&_Hudson-Edwards.pdf
Taylor and Hudson-Edwards 2007.pdf
UNESCO FINAL August 22nd 2007.pdf
Press Articles
North West Star
Lead
level concern.pdf
ABC News
abc report lead.pdf
The Australian
Mine
keeps lead test results under wraps.pdf
warnings
ignored.pdf
Lead risk for Mt Isa kids.pdf
Other Material
wiki
lead poisoning.pdf
Mount Isa
