Hazardous chemicals spilling into harbour

Updated Sun Apr 18, 2010 6:44am AEST

An open-sided conveyor belt at Darwin's port means when the concentrate is transferred to a ship, some of it blows around and spills onto the wharf.

The ABC has video showing footsteps in black sludge on the wharf and of a big black plume in the water.

The Environment Centre's Dr Stuart Blanch says it is a serious issue.


"Copper concentrate is a cocktail of nasty chemicals," he said.


"Copper, arsenic, silica, uranium: all of them have impacts on human health and the environment.

Maritime Union of Australia organiser Glen Williams says the union has been calling for the conveyer belt to be covered for 18 months.

"The level of containment down there of the product is clearly not adequate," he said.

"We have been calling for some time to have the loader fully enclosed to reduce - not completely - but I'm sure that you would reduce spillage and the dust being blown all over the wharf, if we had a fully contained and concealed conveyor system."

Mr Williams says members have also raised issues surrounding manganese and iron ore as well.

"It's not only the copper concentrate that is the issue - you have got iron ore and manganese being trucked down from the stockpile area," he said.

"While copper concentrate is the nastiest product down there, I don't think it would be very good for your health working around that wharf area with iron ore dust blowing around and you are breathing that in."

Read more:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/18/2875751.htm