Greens say export of lead carbonate must stop

In response to new evidence that lead dust has been found outside the double bags bound for export at Fremantle, the WA Greens have called on the Barnett Government to uphold its promises and shut down the transportation of lead carbonate from Magellan’s Wiluna mine.

Fremantle-based Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren made the call after quoting former Environment Minister Donna Faragher, who stated in May 2010 that she would "not hesitate to shut it down should lead be traced back to Magellan ever be found in the environment.”

 "The government needs to follow the advice of its former Environment Minister,” Lynn MacLaren MLC said.

"We maintain that the only safe way to export lead carbonate from Magellan’s Wiluna mine is in pellet form.

"Better still would be to smelt the lead at the mine site as outlined in Magellan’s original license application.

“Now Magellan has demonstrated it can’t live up to the Environmental Management Plan, so their license should be withdrawn.

"Governments have bent over backwards to accommodate this company and all we have to show for it are public health threats and costly environmental clean-ups,” said Ms MacLaren.

The company admits their monitoring regime is not working. Magellan Metals vice-president John Yeates conceding their sea container monitoring equipment was unreliable and had been plagued by problems since exports of lead carbonate began in October 2009.

"The question has to be asked - why did Magellan continue to put the community at risk when they knew this monitoring was unreliable and they were probably in breach of their Environmental Management Plan? This shows the same caviller attitude that resulted in the disastrous outcome in Esperance," said Ms MacLaren.

The risks were compounded by failures in State Government regulatory and reporting systems. Even when breaches were reported on 17th December 2010 the Government failed to act for 2 weeks, while in Geraldton lead exports have only just been banned after licence breaches in October.

"It seems the exporters cannot be trusted to comply with their licenses and environmental conditions and the Government does not have the wherewithal to deal with them.\

"This is despite assurances when the approval was given by the then Environment Minister, Donna Faragher that 'the company has indicated it can and will meet the conditions, but I will be making it abundantly clear to them that any transgression will be dealt with swiftly.'

"Ms Faragher also said that 'to protect the community and the environment, these conditions are tough, they are stringent and they are legally robust and transparent and Magellan must comply.'

"These assurances have clearly been reneged on by both Magellan and the Government.

"The only option is for Minister Marmion to revoke environmental approval for lead carbonate and to instigate a process whereby Magellan, and anyone else exporting lead carbonate, must do it in pelletised or ingot form," added Ms MacLaren.