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MEDIA RELEASE DIOXIN REPORT BURIEDAn Environment Protection Authority (EPA) investigation into dioxin levels in air in New South Wales has been buried according to the Manager of Healthy Cities Illawarra, Mr Frank Wallner. In the mid-1990’s Greenpeace revealed that the BHP Sinter Plant at Port Kembla was the highest known producer of dioxins in Australia. Following pressure from Greenpeace and a local Dioxin Action Campaign, the EPA began an ambient air monitoring program at three sites in NSW in 1998. Warrawong was selected as one of the monitoring locations along with Westmead (Sydney) and Coonabarabran. The intention was to measure ambient (air) levels of dioxins and compare urban, regional and rural areas. Testing was started in December 1998 and although the testing was completed in 1999 the results have still not been released. “It has become a farce - it was promised to the community first in late 2000 then by the Minister in mid 2001 and now it’s almost four years since the testing began. What does the government have to hide?” Mr Wallner said. The Dioxin Action Campaign (DAC) which was established in the Illawarra in 1998 to bring the issue of high levels of dioxins to the public’s attention has been maintaining pressure on the EPA for the report to be released. This has been to no avail. “I am calling on the Minister for the Environment to release the findings from this investigation now. The results from this study are in the publics’ interest. Withholding the report only serves to make people more nervous about what the report might contain” Mr Wallner said.
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