BOOLAROO Action Group has called on the NSW government to establish a ‘‘future fund’’ to deal with lead pollution from the old Pasminco smelter in north Lake Macquarie suburbs.
Residents argue the government-approved Lead Abatement Strategy – created to deal with contamination on properties – was inadequate.
Their criticism is supported by the results of Macquarie University soil and dust sampling, which found elevated levels of lead and other contaminants remain in the area.
The abatement strategy involved adding soil and/or grass to cover contaminants on people’s land.
In some cases, no work was done because the contaminants already had grass cover.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority said it was satisfied with the strategy.
Boolaroo Action Group member Stan Kiaos said dust continued to be blown from the Pasminco site to surrounding neighbourhoods.
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Mr Kiaos said many residents were concerned that soil used to cover contamination had since been recontaminated with this dust.
Mr Kiaos and action group spokesman Jim Sullivan said a future fund should be established.
Residents said possible uses for the fund included soil testing, remediation of properties, community education and testing of children for elevated lead levels in blood.
Some believed homes with affected children should be remediated to world health standards.
Mr Sullivan said some profits from the sale of land at the former smelter should go towards the future fund. He said the government should have made the developer pay a bond for a such a fund.
‘‘The polluter should pay,’’ he said.
If this was impossible, Mr Sullivan said, the government should pay.
‘‘They made money out of royalties and taxes from the smelter and from licensing its operations over 100years,’’ he said.
Mr Sullivan said the NSW Environment Protection Authority licensed smelter emissions and the NSW Department of Planning approved upgrades, despite knowing it was contaminating people’s land and houses.
‘‘Now there should be some responsibility to clean it up,’’ he said. ‘‘They’ve left the community out to dry.’’
NSW Environment Protection Authority director of contaminated land and environmental health Craig Lamberton said the authority was ‘‘quite proud’’ of the abatement strategy. He said the authority had a role selecting contractors for the strategy, which Pasminco administrator Ferrier Hodgson paid for.
‘‘It was a negotiation, it was tough going and it took quite a long time to get an agreement,’’ Mr Lamberton said. ‘‘Ultimately, we did audits, spot checks, inspections and testing.’’
Community complaints were investigated, he said, adding ‘‘we’re happy to take more complaints’’.
‘‘In a community of 2000 to 3000 people directly affected, the chances of keeping everybody happy in such a challenging project – we couldn’t do it.’’
Pasminco administrator Ferrier Hodgson, which conducted the strategy, said it was ‘‘done in accord with council and government requirements’’.
