Thursday, September 22, 2011 » 01:35pm
Farm chemicals 50 times the 'safe' toxic level are contaminating the Great Barrier Reef, a study has found.
Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) scientists have found three chemicals - atrazine, diuron and metachlor - were at toxic levels exceeding national standards for contamination of freshwater ecosystems at eight sites along the Great Barrier Reef coast.
The discovery comes as the national chemical regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), considers whether to allow the continued use of diuron.
Diuron is a known cancer-causing chemical that has been under review for nine years due to health and environmental concerns.
WWF Australia freshwater program leader Nick Heath says DERM's study is the 'smoking gun' and APVMA must ban diuron immediately.
The DERM team found 'these very dangerous pesticides at 50 times the safe level' in rivers draining to the reef, causing concern for the whole ecosystem, Mr Heath said.
'These chemicals basically take out the bottom of the food chain.'
Mr Heath said the study also found that diuron accounted for up to 97 per cent of the toxins in Barratta Creek, an important freshwater system in the Burdekin region.
'Here we have clear evidence that at least three chemicals which are approved for sale - one of which is known to cause cancer - are present in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and upstream of our internationally recognised wetlands at unacceptably toxic levels,' he said.
'Every day the APVMA delays action on diuron and other toxic pesticides is another day our farmers and the Great Barrier Reef are exposed to this outdated and highly poisonous chemical.
'How much evidence do they need? This chemical must go.'
DERM has been contacted for comment.
Read More: http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Environment/2011/09/22/Study_finds_unsafe_toxin_levels_in_reef_664656.html
Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) scientists have found three chemicals - atrazine, diuron and metachlor - were at toxic levels exceeding national standards for contamination of freshwater ecosystems at eight sites along the Great Barrier Reef coast.
The discovery comes as the national chemical regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), considers whether to allow the continued use of diuron.
Diuron is a known cancer-causing chemical that has been under review for nine years due to health and environmental concerns.
WWF Australia freshwater program leader Nick Heath says DERM's study is the 'smoking gun' and APVMA must ban diuron immediately.
The DERM team found 'these very dangerous pesticides at 50 times the safe level' in rivers draining to the reef, causing concern for the whole ecosystem, Mr Heath said.
'These chemicals basically take out the bottom of the food chain.'
Mr Heath said the study also found that diuron accounted for up to 97 per cent of the toxins in Barratta Creek, an important freshwater system in the Burdekin region.
'Here we have clear evidence that at least three chemicals which are approved for sale - one of which is known to cause cancer - are present in the Great Barrier Reef catchment and upstream of our internationally recognised wetlands at unacceptably toxic levels,' he said.
'Every day the APVMA delays action on diuron and other toxic pesticides is another day our farmers and the Great Barrier Reef are exposed to this outdated and highly poisonous chemical.
'How much evidence do they need? This chemical must go.'
DERM has been contacted for comment.
Read More: http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Environment/2011/09/22/Study_finds_unsafe_toxin_levels_in_reef_664656.html
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