Media

2022

New report shows Australia’s waste incineration plans are not green or clean.

A new report commissioned by the National Toxics Network (NTN) reveals that the waste incineration projects planned for Australia, will not deliver green energy nor do they perform any better than landfill with pre-treatment, despite government and industry claims.

2021

CHEMICAL POLLUTION CAUSES FISH DECLINES – Escalating Chemical Production Threatens Aquatic Food Chain

NTN and IPEN have released a new report Aquatic Pollutants in Oceans and Fishers which is available in English, Spanish and French. The report is a synthesis of scientific evidence showing the widespread evidence for the impacts of chemical pollution and its role in the decline of ocean health and fisheries. The report outlines the directions forward to end toxic pollution in our oceans

2018

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY – A GLOBAL CONSENSUS CALL TO STOP WASTE TO ENERGY INCINERATION IN AUSTRALIA

On this World Environment Day 2018, the National Toxics Network, together with the support of local, state, national and international zero waste organisations and individuals are demanding an end to the Australian governments plans to establish the waste to energy incineration industry in Australia. Federal Environment Minister, Josh Frydenberg’s recent announcement to fund waste to energy technologies through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation is a major step in the wrong direction for Australia’s waste and recycling crisis.

NSW REJECTS THE NEXT GENERATION WASTE TO ENERGY INCINERATION PROJECT

13 April 2018 National Toxics Network (NTN) today applauds the NSW Government’s decision to not proceed with the Next Generation Waste to Energy Incineration project for Eastern Creek in Sydney’s west.“The citizens of western Sydney, who have long opposed the proposeal, have been heard and vindicated in their struggle. The pollution from this proposal would have caused an increase in adverse health outcomes for the Western Sydney region,” says Jo Immig, Coordinator for the National Toxics Network.

CONTROVERSIAL EASTERN CREEK INCINERATOR REJECTED BY NSW PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY

28 March, 2018 The NSW Parliament released their final report on the Legislative Council Inquiry – Energy from Waste Technology. The Committee unanimously supported a recommendation that the Eastern Creek incinerator not go ahead. Recommendation 20 states, “That, subject to the current assessment process being conducted by the NSW Government not approve the energy from waste facility proposed by The Next Generation at Eastern Creek.” Portfolio Committee No. 6 – Planning and Environment.

2017

MEGA INCINERATOR PROPOSAL FOR EASTERN CREEK WILL STIGMATISE WESTERN SYDNEY AND CAUSE TOXIC POLLUTION

13 March, 2017 The National Toxics Network (NTN) has warned in its submission to the NSW Government that if the mega incinerator proposal for Eastern Creek were to proceed it would condemn Sydney to more air and water pollution with dangerous chemicals like dioxins and mercury that would belch from its stacks for decades. Western Sydney would be stigmatised as an unhealthy place to live, which would impact its real estate prices.

2016

CHEMICAL GIANT ORICA ATTEMPTS TO EXPORT TOXIC WASTE TO FINLAND

1 August, 2016 Australian chemical manufacturer Orica is once again attempting to export its large stockpile of highly toxic waste from Botany, Sydney for incineration overseas. This time the proposed destination is an incinerator in Finland.

HIGH LEVELS OF CONTAMINATION KEPT FROM RESIDENTS FOR EIGHT YEARS

July 29, 2016 The National Toxics Network is calling for an immediate and independent follow-up investigation into groundwater contamination at the Gold Coast regional airport. Data from AirServices Australia* just released under Freedom of Information shows that high levels of groundwater contamination at the airport were known about as far back as 2008.

LATEST NATIONAL POLLUTION INVENTORY DATA REVEALS CURTIS ISLAND LNG PLANT IS BELCHING OUT MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TOXIC AIR POLLUTANTS

April 17, 2016 The latest data from the National Pollution Inventory (NPI) confirms that Australian families continue to be exposed to serious immediate, long-term and trans-generational health risks from increasing levels of toxic air pollution from unconventional gas (UG) activities. Many thousands of tonnes of dangerous chemicals are being pumped into the air and breathed in by vulnerable members of the community such as infants and the elderly.

2015

PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTION REACHING ALARMING LEVELS GLOBALLY

May 31, 2015 The National Toxics Network (NTN) has released a new report and fact sheet warning that pharmaceutical pollution has reached alarming levels globally, with over 200 different pharmaceuticals detected in aquatic and terrestrial environments, including areas as remote as the Antarctic. These pharmaceutical pollutants, including antibiotics, painkillers, cardiovascular drugs, blood lipid regulators, estrogens and antidepressants, principally originate from treated and untreated sewage. Antibiotic pollutants are of particular concern to human health, due to their potential to exacerbate the problem of antibiotic resistance.

WA GOVERNMENT APPROVES ANOTHER DIRTY WASTE-ENERGY INCINERATOR RISKING PUBLIC HEALTH

February 5, 2015 The National Toxics Network (NTN) today warned the WA government is taking the wrong path by approving the Phoenix Energy Mass Combustion incinerator, effectively locking the community and environment into decades of toxic pollution and undermining recycling and composting. The WA government has also approved four other so-called ‘waste to energy’ incinerators to date and there are plans for more.

2014

NEW RESOURCE ON HEALTH THREATS POSED BY ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS

December 9, 2014 (Washington DC) As governments, industry and public interest groups from across the globe prepare to meet next week to discuss endocrine-disrupting chemicals and other international chemical safety issues, the Endocrine Society and IPEN released a new guide documenting the threat endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) pose to human health.

 

LEADING HEALTH BODIES CATEGORICALLY DECLARE AUSTRALIA’S RELIANCE ON COAL DANGEROUS FOR HEALTH

November 14, 2014: Prominent health organisations from across Australia today condemned Australia’s reliance on coal citing a growing, and significant body of research documenting severe health effects. “It is clear, in this day and age, that we should be phasing out coal. It is highly polluting and is causing disastrous health impacts in communities across Australia. As health professionals it is our duty to highlight these health risks for Australians and suggest better alternatives,” Michael Moore, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia said.

10 REASONS WHY BURNING WASTE FOR ENERGY IS A BAD IDEA

National Toxics Network today joins communities all over the world working to stop the incineration of waste for energy production and disposal. In support of the global day of action on waste incineration, NTN is releasing “10 Reasons Why Burning Waste for Energy is a Bad Idea” which explains why waste to energy incineration in all its various forms should not be part of Australia’s safe energy future.

FRENCH RESISTANCE GROWS AS TREDI INCINERATOR LABELLED ‘TOO POLLUTING’ TO BURN ORICA’S TOXIC WASTE

The National Toxics Network has expressed grave concerns about the operation of the Tredi Seche Global Solutions incinerators at Salaise-sur-Sanne, France. Orica has lodged an application with the Australian government to export highly toxic Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) waste to burn in the Tredi incinerators.

AUSTRALIA SIGNS THE NEW GLOBAL MERCURY TREATY

The signing of the world’s first international mercury treaty by delegates from more than 100 countries, including Australia, should spur three key actions to reduce total global mercury pollution and tackle Australia’s mercury contamination.

HEALTH RISKS FOR COMMUNITIES LIVING NEAR CSG ACTIVITIES

The National Toxics Network (NTN) and Lock the Gate (LTG) coalition are calling on federal and state governments to take urgent action to protect the health of all communities living around coal seam gas (CSG) fields after the release of the Queensland Government’s report into the health of Tara residents.

DANGEROUS CHEMICALS A THREAT TO FAMILIES AND ENVIRONMENT: REPORT

Childhood illnesses, cancer and other conditions may be happening under our noses as a result of the ongoing use of dangerous pesticides in Australia, the National Toxics Network and WWF-Australia said today. The groups today released a report, Human Health Impacts of Exposure to Pesticides, which pulls together a compelling scientific case that the same pesticides pushing along the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef are also linked to a raft of illnesses in humans.

GOVERNMENT MUST ACT ON AIR POLLUTION FROM CSG FIELDS

The National Toxics Network is calling on the federal government to take urgent action to protect the publics’ health and the environment in light of new research released today by the Southern Cross University (SCU), which confirms emissions of air pollutants from coal seam gas (CSG) activities.

DOCTORS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS SAY NEW EVIDENCE ON AIR POLLUTION FROM COAL SEAM GAS MINING MEANS BETTER HEALTH PROTECTION NEEDED

A recent study looking at the human health risk assessment of air emissions from unconventional gas extraction published in the journal, Science of the Total Environment, found that residents living closest to gas wells had higher risks for neurological, respiratory and other health effects and higher cancer risks than those living further away.

 UN ‘SCIENTIFIC’ COMMITTEE TURNS POLITICAL – FAILS TO TAKE ACTION ON CANCER CAUSING CHEMICALS

(Geneva, Switzerland) The United Nations (UN) ‘scientific’ committee responsible for evaluating and recommending hazardous and persistent chemicals for global bans failed to take any action on a group of carcinogenic industrial chemicals that are also toxic to aquatic organisms. Ironically, the committee1 agreed that short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative and transboundary, and hence, candidates for a global ban under the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Despite meeting all scientific criteria, the committee decided to take no action on SCCPs. The committee has delayed action on these substances for the past six years.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO STOP GROWING HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF CHEMICALS

National Toxics Network (NTN) has welcomed the release of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) first comprehensive assessment of global chemical trends and economic implications in their Global Chemicals Outlook Synthesis Report. The report calls on all decision-makers to take urgent action to reduce the growing health and environmental hazards from chemicals.

FARMERS SHOULD PROTECT CHILDREN’S HEALTH FROM RISKY PESTICIDES

The National Toxics Network (NTN) today welcomed the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s (APVMA) decision to withdraw some uses of the pesticide Fenthion. “Fenthion has been a chemical of concern to us for many years. It’s been under review by the APVMA for nearly 14 years,” says NTN spokesperson Ms Jane Bremmer.