G’day everyone,
With last weeks chemical spill of the carcinogenic chemical hexavalent chromium at Stockton last week, does anyone know whether it’s now safe to go to the Stockton area at the moment, and other nearby locations like Ash Island and the Hunter Estuary?
So far I haven’t found any news articles about how this may have impacted the wildlife in the immediate area. If this is a known cacinogenic for people, just how bad is it for the birds? And to what extent will it stay in the immediate environment?
Regards, Mark ===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au
http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Thanks for the reply and clarification Alan. The reports I read were quite light on these details.
Regards, Mark
Hi Mark,
The chemical plume headed east (or SE) from Kooragang Island and struck the built up area of north Stockton, so everything to the west should be safe (i.e. Ash Island). The Sandspit area on the eastern side of the Stockton bridge is much closer to the area the plume encompassed, but I would think further north than the area in question, but I can’t be definitive about this area. Prevailing winds have been generally northwesterly up here, so it would be unlikely that the bridge area would be affected (north Stockton is about a kilometre further south than the bridge and the Orica plant is NW of north Stockton – suggesting the wind would have to be NW to strike the built up area). Not trying to convince you to go, just giving you as much information as possible. Ultimately if you have any doubts, then don’t go.
I’m currently working with a Stockton resident whose house is in the area affected by the plume.
Kind Regards
Allan Richardson Morisset
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
http://birding-aus.org ===============================