Nexus - 0109 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Sludge Off Dissolving 0Z PETROL Plastic WORLD’S WORST Beaches PETROL REFINED IN QUEENSLAND A NEW PLASTIC WHICH BREAKS OcEAN DUMPING OF SEWAGE HAS THE WORLD’S HIGHEST LEVELS DOWN IN SUNLIGHT is being used by SLUDGE 1S BEING HALTED at Sydney's OF LEAD, containing 0.84 grams of lead a some retail chains in plastic shopping bags. three major outfalls. Sludge, which contains litre. This compares to South Australia with It’s hoped that the plastic, known as the bulk of dangerous organisms and a large 0.65g per litre and other states which are Polybatch 17, will provide an alternative to amount of industrial toxic waste, is the major below 0.45g. The health risks associated plastic bags and wrapping. Added to low- source of dangerous viruses and bacteria with high lead levels are well known, as are density polyethylene plastic, it causes it to found at Sydney’s sewage-polluted beaches the effects on the mental development of break down in reaction to ultraviolet radia- and the major sewage carrier of contami- children. tion. Within a few months it degrades to a nants into the ocean food chain. . North American lead levels are 0.026g a fine powder which is claimed to be non- Viruses capable of causing meningitis, litre in Canada and 0.029 in the US. The toxic. myocarditis, fevers and a range of other in- whole of the US puts 2600 tonnes of lead into Although this will have little impact on fections were identified in the water at Bondi petrol. each year while Queensland uses plastic’s contribution to atmospheric pollu- by a Water Board study completed in early 2100 tonnes a year. This is aresult of the lack tion, it could save countless numbers of July. Tests made on water samples taken of legislatiori to limit the amount of lead marine animals which are killed by ingestion from February to April showed the presence added to petrol to increase its octane rating. of plastic - as well as helping to reduce plastic of enteroviruses, Coxsackie B viruses, These figures have been collected by the disposal problems. adenoviruses and salmonella. Polio vaccine Australian Cane Farmers Association to Coles supermarkets and the Cut Price strains were also found in swimming areas. support their campaign to replace lead with a Deli chain have replaced their standard plas- The sludge is to be collected on land, 10% mix of environmentally clean(er) etha- tic shopping bags for the new plastic. where a new Australian-designed micro- nol, which would eliminate lead while main- The fact that the plastic breaks down to a wave system will be used to kill off all taining octane levels. At present the oil fine powder does not mean that it is biode- pathogens in the sludge, which can then be companies are using benzene as a substitute, gradable, despite some claims. As yet there is converted into by-products such as fertiliser but this is recognised as a a carcinogenic air no evidence that it can be broken down - if the heavy metals and organochlorines pollutant. Of course, a cane-based ethanol bacterially - this is necessary before plastic contained within industrial waste can be industry would not hurt Queensland sugar can beconsidered environmentally safe. And screened out. growers. if it’s not exposed to sunlight, the plastic A pilot scheme being tested at the Water Australian lead-free petro] also contains won't break down. Board's Malabar treatment works could more sulphur than is allowed by most devel- The Victorian and Queensland environ- enable some of the sludge to be converted to oped nations. Oil companies are now not ment ministers, the Australian Democrats oil. Another system is being set up at Malabar required to remove the atmosphere and and the NSW State Pollution Control Com- which uses magnetism to clarify raw sewage health destroying sulphur as part of the mission criticised the use of the bags in July, 20 times faster than conventional methods. switch to lead-free petrol (the rotten-egg before having seen or tested them. This The Sirofloc system developed by the smell that's arrived in our streets since the prompted a spokesperson for Cut Price Delis CSIRO separates sludge and water so effec- introduction of lead-free petrol is sulphur). lo say that critics had produced no evidence tively that treated water is colourless and that the bags were unsafe and should “put up suitable for irrigation. AFR | orshutup.” : NZ Chess Snub NEw ZEALAND HAD PLANNED TO HOST THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPI- ONSHIPS in Wellington next year, but Soviet grand master Vitaly Sevastyanov says he won't go. “Sevastyanov said there was a hole in the ozone layer that lets in dangerous radioactiv- ity,” announced New Zealand Chess Asso- ciation president Bill Poole in early July. “He said that New Zealand is danger- ously radioactive and no-one should go there for any reason, andonno account should they play the world chess championship there. Frankly, I thought he was pulling my leg,” said Mr Poole, Sevastyanov is a former So- viet cosmonaut. NZ Chess Snub ONSHIPS in Wellington next year, but Soviet grand master Vitaly Sevastyanov says he won't go. “Sevastyanov said there was a hole in the ozone layer that lets in dangerous radioactiv- ity,” announced New Zealand Chess Asso- ciation president Bill Poole in early July. “He said that New Zealand is danger- ously radioactive and no-one should go there for any reason, and onno account should they play the world chess championship there. Frankly, I thought he was pulling my leg,” said Mr Poole. Sevastyanov is a former So- viet cosmonaut. Som NEW ZEALAND HAD PLANNED TO HOST THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPI-