Subject: Effluent discharge from proposed pulp mill and the effect on marine and coastal environment including waterfront real estate values.

Press Release July 13th 2006-07-20 Bob McMahon
TAP Tasmanians Against Pulpmill

ISSUES

• Approximately 30 billion litres of effluent discharge annually into Bass Strait approx 3 kilometres off Four Mile Bluff at a water depth of 20 metres.

• Approximately 85 million litres per day (working year of 350 days) i.e. the content of approx 40 Olympic size swimming pools daily.

• Effluent contains sediment (wood solids), heavy metals, many chemical compopunds including POP’s (Persistent Organic Pollutants) like dioxins, the last a cumulative toxin – because of dioxin build up Sydney Harbour is now closed to all fishing.

• Discharge point 6k NNE of Low Head and 3k W of Five Mile Bluff. Such a large volume of effluent will spread along the coast and will come ashore with the tides causing significant environmental devaluation and devaluation of waterfront property values – Greens Beach, Low Head, Bell Buoy Beach, Beechford, Lulworth etc.

• The Draft IIS (Integrated Impact Statement) in its Social Impact Assessment addresses the community concern with ‘property price fluctuation’. For Georgetown property values the social perception is ‘boom and bust’ – boom during the construction phase (2 years) and bust when the construction finishes. Community perception (not included in IIS) is that coastal property values (notably Bell Buoy Beach) will not boom, only bust.

• Commsec (Commonwealth Bank) advice to Gunns’ shareholders is SELL NOW. It is assumed the same advice applies to waterfront property owners right along the coast. The golden age of a clean sea and pristine coastal ecology is over. That is the overwhelming community concern.

• Fishing is finished. Other recreational use seriously devalued: boating, surfing, swimming, diving. Tasmania listed by National Geographic in Jan 2004 as the world’s second best dive destination. Barrel Rock, 400 metres from Low Head Pilot Station is a spectacular dive site. It’s future is compromised.