Leigh Dayton; 28/6/08
Last April Daphne Hare took a stand. When the Mount Isa mother learned her six-year-old daughter, Stella, had an unsafe level of lead in her blood, Hare decided to take the Swiss mining giant Xstrata Mount Isa Mines to court. As revealed in The Australian, Hare’s case is the first of several being prepared by legal firm Slater and Gordon, alleging that toxic emissions from the mine are poisoning the mining and smelting town’s youngsters. Hare, for one, is convinced the emissions of heavy metals - including copper, zinc and, most significantly, lead - caused Stella’s learning, behavioural and other developmental problems. Certainly, the results of a recent blood screening program of 400 Mount Isa children, run by Queensland Health, support Hare’s concern. The 14-month survey of children aged between 1 and 4 years found that 11 per cent had lead levels higher than the internationally accepted limit of 10 micrograms (mcg) per decilitre (dl) of blood. One child’s level was nearly three times the limit.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23927716-23289,00.html
Tags: Australia, Environment, health, Trade