Sounds like a beat up to me and farmers are scared and will not listen or see anything but what they want to see, no matter what. Don't get me wrong I certainly wouldn't want large amounts of these chemicals in my drinking water either and this is why they're looking into it but if proven to be okay then they need to shut up.
I'm sure the chemicals they've played with and continue to play with around the farm have and will continue to do them more harm than levels spoken about, which are almost none existent, if you read a bit about the chemicals in question then you may be surprised to know that we're all being exposed to these chemicals on varying levels and more than likely some are possibly exposed to toxic levels depending on where they live, work and life style. Every God damn winter I'm sure I breath in my fair share of it with a couple of my inconsiderate neighbours that can't live without their fire's burning in Qld mind you! (Throw a dooner around you won't you! (Yet the don't see the DERM running to aid my health each winter)All those people who just don't get it when they puff away on their cigarettes and wonder why us none smokers really don't like it while we're in close proximity!
Anyway for those that want to keep abreast of it all here's a link to the Qld Govt site:
Benzene and toluene are liquid by-products of petrochemicals.
Benzene is a carcinogen found in cigarette smoke, wood smoke, petrol and exhaust fumes from motor vehicles, and industrial emissions. It is used as an industrial solvent and may be used in the production of drugs, plastics, synthetic rubber and dyes.
Toluene is widely used in industrial processes and as a solvent.
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines sets the following acceptable levels for each:
* Benzene 0.001 mg/L, which is equivalent to 1 part per billion (ppb) * Toluene 0.8 mg/L, which is equivalent to 800 ppb
Benzene exposure has serious health effects. Outdoor air may contain low levels of benzene from tobacco smoke, wood smoke, automobile service stations, the transfer of gasoline, exhaust from motor vehicles, and industrial emissions.[22] Vapors from products that contain benzene, such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents, can also be a source of exposure, although many of these have been modified or reformulated since the late 1970s to eliminate or reduce the benzene content. Air around hazardous waste sites or gas stations may contain higher levels of benzene.
What is happening at the Kingaroy UCG plant?
The Cougar Energy pilot UCG project has been temporarily closed because water quality tests detected benzene and toluene in groundwater monitoring bores close to the plant.
While subsequent water samples show acceptable levels of benzene and toluene under the Australian Drinking Water Guideline, the plant will remain closed until further environmental evaluation can take place. What are benzene and toluene?
Benzene and toluene are liquid by-products of petrochemicals.
Benzene is a carcinogen found in cigarette smoke, wood smoke, petrol and exhaust fumes from motor vehicles, and industrial emissions. It is used as an industrial solvent and may be used in the production of drugs, plastics, synthetic rubber and dyes.
Toluene is widely used in industrial processes and as a solvent.
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines sets the following acceptable levels for each:
* Benzene 0.001 mg/L, which is equivalent to 1 part per billion (ppb) * Toluene 0.8 mg/L, which is equivalent to 800 ppb
What have been the test results to date?
All of the sampling carried out to date by both Cougar Energy and DERM indicates that benzene has only been detected in one bore (monitoring bore 37) at a maximum concentration of 2 parts per billion (above drinking water guideline of 1 ppb).
Further, all of the sampling carried out indicates that toluene has been detected in one bore (monitoring bore 38) at levels between 4 and 45 parts per billion (well below drinking water quality guideline for health of 800 ppb). Toluene has also been detected at the limit of detection (0.1 ppb) at 2 sites within a 1 km radius of the plant. Neither toluene or benzene has been detected at the other sampling sites at this time.
It has been reported in the media that monitoring undertaken by Cougar indicated that benzene had been detected at 84 parts per billion in monitoring bore 38, and that toluene had been detected in a privately owned bore known as the Plantation bore, which is located approximately 1 kilometre from the plant. The laboratory that undertook the analysis has provided both Cougar and the Department with written confirmation that this test result is not valid, it made an error with both the 84 ppb benzene result, and the detection of toluene at the Plantation bore.
The department is continuing to sample a wider area around the Cougar Energy plant particularly within a 2km radius of the plant.
The department is committed to sampling bores beyond this area, including sampling at identified landholders bores where requested.
Cheers
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