Central Coast and Lake Macquarie environmental group, Future Sooner, has invited the United Nations Special Rapporteur to a meeting to discuss health implications for local residents from coal-fired power stations, their emissions and ash dams.
The invitation is part of the group’s submission to the UN’s Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Dr Marcos Orellana, who was seeking input for his report to the Human Rights Council due in September.
The Special Rapporteur, an independent expert appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, has a mandate to help adopt solutions in regard to harmful substances and human rights issues.
He is an expert in international law, the law on human rights and the environment, who regularly undertakes visits around the world to report on human rights issues.
Spokesperson for Future Sooner, Gary Blaschke, said the UN’s recent call for submissions from Australia was a good opportunity to deliver information about the damage emissions from coal-fired power stations and their ash dams were having on the health of the people living on the Central Coast.
“The Central Coast has one major industry – coal-fired power stations,” he said.
“We have medical evidence that proves that the Central Coast has an abnormal number of lung diseases and cancers.”
Blaschke said this is recorded in the Australian Bureau of Statistics At Risk Populations, Torrens University Cancer Cluster Report.
“This includes children as young as three years old with brain tumours and teenagers with spinal tumours,” he said.
“Wyong Hospital is getting $6.4M to expand the Cancer Day Care Unit for a projected increase of further cancer cases throughout the region.
“We have witnessed unprecedented fish kills in Lake Macquarie and water toxicity so high that residents are advised not to eat the fish.”
Blaschke said there was evidence that showed there was an apparent trend of lower NAPLAN results the closer a school was to a power station.
He cites the 2020 research, Coal Use and Student Performance, a report by Valentina Duque of the University of Sydney and Michael Gilraine of New York University.
“We have presented this evidence to our local MPs and representatives of the Environmental Protection Authority – but so far, nothing,” Blaschke said.
“The Coal Ash Inquiry findings of March 2021, Report 4, were unanimous with 16 recommendations.
“How many of these have been implemented? None.
“The Committee comment on page 32 of the Inquiry findings states that ‘we are disappointed with the response by the NSW EPA and NSW Health to community concerns about potential links between the circulation of additional metals in the air and waterways and impacts on health outcomes for the community. This response, in conjunction with the lack of research conducted to date on this matter, demonstrates a complete disregard by the government towards the health of its citizens’.
“It appears that the NSW government and the EPA do not consider the health of its citizens living on the Central Coast important enough to take action against coal-fired power stations and their emissions.
“Nor do they think it important to create an environment where residents can breathe clean air and enjoy the benefits of unpolluted water.
“Well let’s see what the UN thinks.”
Sue Murray