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AshcloudsvisibleatPortAugusta
SANews
Concernsgrowoverashcloud
atPortAugustafollowing
closureofNorthernPower
Station
ElizabethHenson.MitchMott,TheAdvertiser
January2,201710:35pm
Subscriberonly
FinalcoaltrainleavesLeighCreekafterPtAugustastationcloses
SolarpowerpushtokeepPortAugustajobs
Thermalenergyplantlikelytowinsupportfrom$1billionenergyfund
ATHICKplumeofdustfromthedefunctNorthernPowerStationisblanketingPortAugusta
andnearbytowns,causingbreathingproblemsforresidentsrequiringhospitaltreatment
andsparkinghealthconcerns.
EnvironmentMinisterIanHunterhasurgedresidentstoavoidcontactwiththeairborneashandhas
orderedtheEnvironmentProtectionAuthoritytoinvestigatetheplume.
PortAugustaMayorSamJohnsonsaidresidentswererightlyangryaboutthepotentiallytoxicplume,
whichhesaysisunacceptableandhasforcedchildrentohospital.
HesaidlittlehadbeendonetofindapermanentfixfortheproblemdespitealertingtheEPAandState
Governmenttoitonnumerousoccasions.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 1/7
4/14/2017 ConcernsgrowoverashcloudatPortAugustafollowingclosureofNorthernPowerStation|AdelaideNow
FuriousPortAugustaresidentsnearthedecomissionedNorthernPowerStation,fromwhichashisbeingblown
acrosstheirtown.Picture:MattTurner
TheEPAonMondayreleasedastatementsayingtheashcloudwasnottoxic.
ButlatelastmonthitstatedrecentSAHealthtestsshoweddustatthedecommissionedcoalfired
stationcontainedminimaltoxicmetalsandsubstancesandthedustparticlesthemselvesmaycause
healtheffects,irrespectiveoftheirelementalmakeup.
ThestationclosedinMaylastyearandFlindersPower,thecompanyresponsibleforthesite,hasbeen
applyingdustsuppressanttoits250haashstorageareatopreventdustbeingemittedinwindy
conditions.
'Toxic'flyashoverPortAugusta
However,theextremerainandwindthatlashedmuchofSAlastweekhaswashedawaythesuppressant
andthestorageareahassincedriedout.
MrJohnsonsaidrecentwindyconditionsstirredupdustatthesiteandcreatedalargeashplumeon
Sunday.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 2/7
4/14/2017 ConcernsgrowoverashcloudatPortAugustafollowingclosureofNorthernPowerStation|AdelaideNow
HesaiddustfromthepowerstationhadlongplaguedtheregionbuttheashcloudonSundaywasthe
worsthehadseen.
Imagineareallybigfirewithalotofsmokeandyoucantsee(throughit),hesaid.
Fromoneangle,youcantactuallyseethepowerstation.
MrJohnsonsaiditwasunacceptable.
Wevegotthousandsofpeoplesuckinginthisashrightnow.
Wevegotthousandsofpeoplesuckinginthisashrightnow,hesaid.
Peoplearepissedoffandtheyvegoteveryrighttobewevegotchildrenwithchroniclung
conditions,asthma.
FlyashisblownfromtheNorthernPowerStationatPortAugusta,causinghealth
concernsforresidents.Picture:MattTurner
Ivehadmothersringme(andsay)theyvehadtotaketheirchildrentohospitaltohelpwiththeir
breathing.
MrJohnsonsaidthecouncilhadalertedtheEPAeachtimeadustcloudformedbutnothinghadbeen
donetofixtheproblem.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 3/7
4/14/2017 ConcernsgrowoverashcloudatPortAugustafollowingclosureofNorthernPowerStation|AdelaideNow
SotherehavebeenadozentimestheEPAhasbeenalertedandthelasttwodayshavebeentheworst,
hesaid.
Ihavepersonallytextmessagedphotosandvideosto(StateGovernmentministers)sotheycantsay
theydontknow.
WindcarriestheflyashawayfromtheclosedPortAugustapowerstation.
Healthconcernsfromtheplumecomeatatime
thecityisgrapplingwithjoblossesfromthe
closureofthepowerstation.
AirpollutionresearcherJamesWhelan,from
EnvironmentJusticeAustralia,saidcoalash
couldcontainheavymetalssuchasmercurybut
thelevelsofthesetoxinsinashdustvariedfrom
sitetosite.
Itreallydoesntmatterwhatthoseparticlesare,
justtheinhalationofthosemillionsandmillions
ofparticlesisaproblem,hesaid.
Thereisntasafelevelofexposuretoparticle
pollution.
ChemicalexpertDrMariannLloydSmith,from
theNationalToxicsNetwork,saidcoalashwas
renownedforcontainingmercuryandother
heavymetals,somecarcinogenic.
Flyashisthemosttoxicformofcoalash,she
said.
PortAugustaMayorSamJohnson.Picture:MattTurner
Idontknowhowyoucansayitsnontoxic.
Unlesstheflyashhashadall(chemicalsandheavymetals)removed,Idontknowhowyoucansayits
nontoxic.
MrHuntersaidhewasunawareofspecifichealthrisksassociatedwithflyashbuthasadvisedagainst
contactwithit.
Itwouldntbesomethingweencouragepeopletobeworkinginorplayingin,thatswhywekeepa
crustonit,butpeoplehaveexperiencedsomeashbeingdispersedthroughtheairinrecenttimes,he
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 4/7
4/14/2017 ConcernsgrowoverashcloudatPortAugustafollowingclosureofNorthernPowerStation|AdelaideNow
said.
SApowerstationstackcomesfallingdown
WeunderstandthedistressthatcausesthelocalcommunityandthatswhyIveaskedtheEPAto
reporttomethisweekaboutwhatwecandoaboutthatflyash.
MrHuntersaidtheEPAreportwouldbecompletedbytheendoftheweek.
TheEPAissuedastatementonthematteracknowledgingthatrecentheavyrainhadimpactedon
previouseffortstosuppressdustfromtheformerpowerstation.
Theashisblownintothesky.Picture:MattTurner
AspartofaDustManagementPlan,FlindersPowerisconsideringmethodstoresolvethemostrecent
problemandiskeepingtheEPAinformedofitsprogress,itread.
FlindersPoweralsoissuedastatement,sayingthecompanywastakingimmediateactiontorectifythe
dustissue.
FlindersPoweriscurrentlyimplementingimmediatemeasuresfortherestorationandmanagementof
theseexposedareas,itread.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 5/7
4/14/2017 ConcernsgrowoverashcloudatPortAugustafollowingclosureofNorthernPowerStation|AdelaideNow
FlindersPowercontinuestocollaboratewiththeEPA,Councilandotherstakeholdersonthisissue.
Thecompanyalsosaiddustsuppressanthadbeenusedasaninterimmeasurebutapermanentsolution
wouldberolledoutthismonth.
Residentsfearforchildrensfuture
RESIDENTSneartheformerNorthernPowerStationfearanashcloudisputtingtheirhealthatriskbut
saytheirconcernshavefallenondeafears.
StirlingNorthresidentMichelleColes,60,saiddustfromthepowerstationoftendriftedintonearby
townshipsbutSundaysplumehadsparkedrenewedcallsforaction.
Alotofpeoplebelievetheyaresufferingbecauseoftheflyash,shesaid.Itisverymuchthetalkofthe
town.
MsColesattributedhersevenyearoldgranddaughtersasthmadiagnosissixmonthsagototheflyash.
Shesaidshehadbeenhospitalisedtwicesincethen.
Iwouldlikeaninvestigationintowhattheeffectsofflyashdoestoacommunity,healthwiseandalso
whatitdoestotheenvironment,shesaid.TheytoldeveryoneMaralingawassafe...Iknowits
different,butlookwhathappenedthere.
MsColessaidresidentshadbeencomplainingtoauthoritiesabouttheashforalongtime.Ifwedont
jumpupanddownandtrytodosomethingaboutit,ourchildrenaregoingtosufferintheyearsto
come,shesaid.
ThePortAugustapowerstation,beforeitstoppedgeneratingpowerinMaylastyear.
MotheroftwoKellianneReynolds,alsoofStirlingNorth,saidtheflyashwasprettyrelentless.There
areplentyofpeoplecomplainingofsoreeyes,coughingandwheezing,shesaid.
Wehavetothinkaboutourfutureandourfuturehealthforourkidsandthisblowingalloverusis
quiteterrifying.Wouldyoulikeyourfamilylivingwiththistoxicdustalloveryourfamily?
ForgrandparentsIanandIreneSlee,theflyashbillowingoverPortAugustahadaddedinsulttoinjury.
WhentheplantshutdowninMaylastyear,manyemploymentopportunitiesdisappeared.
Weareveryconcernedforourgrandchildren,MsSleesaid.Weareworriedabouttheirhealthand
abouttheirfuturehere.Weareworriedtheywillhavetogoawaytofindworkandstarttheirlives.
TwooftheirgrandchildrenhadrecentlymovedtoQueenslandandMsSleesaidshewasgladtheywould
notbeinanenvironmentwhichcouldmakethemsick.
Thedustistheproductof62yearsofenergyproductionandhasresidentsupinarms.
PortAugustaMayorSamJohnsonsaidthedustwasadisgraceandimmediateactionneededtobe
takenbyboththeStateandFederalgovernments.Wecantbebreathingthisinforanotherweek,Mr
Johnsonsaid.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 6/7
4/14/2017 ConcernsgrowoverashcloudatPortAugustafollowingclosureofNorthernPowerStation|AdelaideNow
Thereneedstobeapermanentsolution.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/southaustralia/concernsgrowoverashcloudatportaugustafollowingclosureofnorthernpowerstation/newsst 7/7