Recently an out of control bushfire raged through York’s St. Ronan’s area
bringing a dire threat to life, property and livestock
The inferno was so intense that nearly 70 fire control vehicles were called from within a 100 kilometre radius to help contain the blaze as it scorched 400 plus hectares of prime farming land, came dangerously close to homes and blocked the Great Southern Highway.
In addition 11 aircraft were called in to assist to help extinguish a wildfire that made news across Australia as one of its oldest inland towns came under threat. Everyone involved should be highly commended for containing and controlling such a potentially lethal situation.
Unfortunately St. Ronan’s is where the proposed massive Perth household, waste landfill site at Allawuna Farm is located.
This raises the question what may have occurred if a monstrous rubbish tip caught alight in a firestorm, including how hard it would be to bring it under control, how long this would take and how catastrophic the consequences could be to the local population?
Burning household waste produces vast quantities of some of the most deadly gasses known to man. The toxic cocktail would include formaldehyde, hydrogen chloride and Sulphur dioxide.
Also derivatives of dioxins and furans that include hydrochloric acid. A deadly duo that are believed to cause cancer and birth defects from the lowest concentration of all man-made chemicals. Just small doses can have catastrophic consequences suggesting that victims can be kilometers away and still be contaminated by what is contained in the smoke.
This disturbing information is not sourced from any West Australian government agency but from the United States Environmental Protection Agency with input from the New York Departments’ of Conservation and Health.
The inferno was so intense that nearly 70 fire control vehicles were called from within a 100 kilometre radius to help contain the blaze as it scorched 400 plus hectares of prime farming land, came dangerously close to homes and blocked the Great Southern Highway.
In addition 11 aircraft were called in to assist to help extinguish a wildfire that made news across Australia as one of its oldest inland towns came under threat. Everyone involved should be highly commended for containing and controlling such a potentially lethal situation.
Unfortunately St. Ronan’s is where the proposed massive Perth household, waste landfill site at Allawuna Farm is located.
This raises the question what may have occurred if a monstrous rubbish tip caught alight in a firestorm, including how hard it would be to bring it under control, how long this would take and how catastrophic the consequences could be to the local population?
Burning household waste produces vast quantities of some of the most deadly gasses known to man. The toxic cocktail would include formaldehyde, hydrogen chloride and Sulphur dioxide.
Also derivatives of dioxins and furans that include hydrochloric acid. A deadly duo that are believed to cause cancer and birth defects from the lowest concentration of all man-made chemicals. Just small doses can have catastrophic consequences suggesting that victims can be kilometers away and still be contaminated by what is contained in the smoke.
This disturbing information is not sourced from any West Australian government agency but from the United States Environmental Protection Agency with input from the New York Departments’ of Conservation and Health.
It is not a new revelation, the evaluation of emissions from open air
burning of household waste was completed 21 years ago and would clearly be
available to both to the WA State Administration Tribunal and the Department of
Planning when evaluating the suitability of Allawuna Farm as a huge household
waste site.
Even though a landfill, at times Allawuna Farm could have massive amounts of household rubbish exposed to the atmosphere and therefore a potential fire hazard.
A conflagration caused by a lightning strike or some other natural or human induced cause may not be hot enough to ensure that particulate matter (soot) created from the household waste is not too large for humans to breathe resulting in the risk of emphysema, chronic bronchitis and cancer for those in the vicinity.
This soot and ash residue can also contaminate exposed groundwater such as wells and streams, crops, wildlife, even soil over an area that can only be guesstimated. It would be dependent on the fire’s intensity and prevailing wind strength and direction.
Those who would suffer the most from toxic waste exposure are children, the elderly and pregnant women. The dangerous gas, soot and ash can be created from such innocuous household items as newspapers, magazines, milk cartons, food waste and cans.
Even though a landfill, at times Allawuna Farm could have massive amounts of household rubbish exposed to the atmosphere and therefore a potential fire hazard.
A conflagration caused by a lightning strike or some other natural or human induced cause may not be hot enough to ensure that particulate matter (soot) created from the household waste is not too large for humans to breathe resulting in the risk of emphysema, chronic bronchitis and cancer for those in the vicinity.
This soot and ash residue can also contaminate exposed groundwater such as wells and streams, crops, wildlife, even soil over an area that can only be guesstimated. It would be dependent on the fire’s intensity and prevailing wind strength and direction.
Those who would suffer the most from toxic waste exposure are children, the elderly and pregnant women. The dangerous gas, soot and ash can be created from such innocuous household items as newspapers, magazines, milk cartons, food waste and cans.
If you add old paint tins, used oil, light bulbs, batteries and asbestos
you get a whole new ball game with deadly concoctions of mercury and lead.
You could expect that those with a self interest in the Allawuna Farm project proceeding would call this hypothetical nonsense.
BUT IS IT?
David Taylor.
You could expect that those with a self interest in the Allawuna Farm project proceeding would call this hypothetical nonsense.
BUT IS IT?
David Taylor.
Anyone remember the December 1997 fire that started at the Brookton tip and shortly after threatened the town of Pingelly, having destroyed 21,000 ha of farming land with massive stock losses and loss of one life? Could it happen in York? No doubt if Allawuna becomes a tip!
ReplyDeleteThem there rates r still burning a hole In pocket, leaving ta question what's hot and not. No Indigenous trainee, them beds r still burning babie. Pink primer on the doors of the hall, hot pink I thinks not. Hot dry grass at the drainage projects on Avon Tce, only till the come yer drop off soaking rain. The Chalkies fire sale, hold ya blue horses folk. Cool down it's only Jan 19.
ReplyDeleteThe drainage project isn't finished, just waiting for the new technical officer.
Delete