Gas toxins found in Kingaroy cattleTROY ROWLING10 Oct, 2010...

Gas toxins found in Kingaroy cattle
TROY ROWLING
10 Oct, 2010 04:00 AM
TRACES of the toxic chemicals benzene and toluene have been detected in cattle bordering the controversial Cougar Energy underground coal gasification plant at Kingaroy.
The results have again raised con-cerns over the impact the UCG trial is having on South Burnett primary pro-ducers.

Biosecurity Queensland this week confirmed traces of benzene and toluene were detected in fat samples taken from five heifers at a property owned by Damien and Neralie O'Sullivan near Kingaroy in July.

Chief biosecurity officer Ron Glanville contacted the O'Sullivans after the first results became available last month to inform the pair the results were "low levels".

A second round of tests conducted by gov-ernment officials on the same cattle in Septem-ber, at Mr O'Sullivan's request, revealed the chemicals were no lon-ger present in the heif-ers.

Mr Glanville would not comment to Queen-sland Country Life on whether the close proximity of affected cattle to the Cougar UCG plant was a contributing factor to the positive test results.

The O'Sullivans' 190-hectare property is less than 2km from the Cougar Energy UCG Plant.

Mr Glanville said there were many potential sources of benzene and toluene in the environment and the source "cannot be assumed".

"Scientific assessment is that the chemicals would have been quickly eliminated from cattle and this is supported by follow-up testing," he said.

"No long-term impacts are expected."

He said short-term exposure to these chemicals was not considered dangerous and there were no plans to re-test the affected cattle at a later date.

Since being informed of the results, Mr O'Sullivan has requested the government department test milk from his dairy cows, as well as drinking water from the property.

He has written to Queensland Health asking if he and his family should be tested for traces of benzene and toluene and if they should undergo biopsies at hospital.

Mr Glanville said a new system to test for these chemicals in milk had to be developed to meet this request.

He could not provide a date as to when these results might be available.

A method to test for benzene in solids had to be developed by Biosecurity Queensland in September after it was revealed no laboratory was capable of perfor-ming such a test.

Mr O'Sullivan said with so little understood about the chemicals, it raised "serious concerns" about what impact the UCG energy plant might have on the region's primary production industries.

"They tell us the results are low - but what does low mean?" he said.

"This UCG plant is too close to a highly productive area and this whole episode highlights how there needed to be tests conducted before, during and after the plant was able to go ahead. They need to better understand the chemicals.

"We're very thankful the government has closed the plant down so this experiment is not able to continue.

"As far as we're concerned, the only tenable solution is that the site is closed down permanently."

The couple said they were reluctant to speak publicly about their test results for fear of jeopardising the reputation of the region's beef industry.

Mrs O'Sullivan said the couple had repeatedly requested Cougar Energy provide evidence of independent and peer-reviewed scientific analysis from anywhere in the world proving the UCG process was safe and would not have any detrimental effect on the surrounding community.

However, she said in three years of dealings with the company, the couple was yet to receive any such information.

"We've been presuming we'll be safe - but all we can do is hope," she said.

Cougar Energy managing director Len Walker said he had not been informed by the government about the test results.

However, he rejected any link between the detection of benzene and toluene in the fat samples and the Kingaroy UCG plant.

"I would say the likelihood of there being a connection is almost negligible," Dr Walker said.

"Our processors are 60m below the surface so I would say it is unlikely we would be affecting the ground level."

Dr Walker said the company had attempted to engage with the community.

"It is not for lack of trying - but obviously there is a strong lobby group in the town who don't want us to be there," he said.

"There are some in the community who don't even want to talk to us."

Mr and Mrs O'Sullivan are both members of the anti-UCG protest association, the Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group.

The Cougar Energy UCG trial plant at Kingaroy was suspended from operations by the State Government in July after traces of benzene and toluene were found in groundwater at the site and a neighbouring property, which did not belong to the O'Sullivan family.

In August, the Department of Environment and Resource Management rejected a Cougar Energy environmental report because it did not provide all the information requested by the government.

Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones has said the State Government would not lift the environmental protection order, which is preventing the company from reopening its operation, until it received an adequate environmental report.

Last week, Dr Walker defended the company in the letter to state politicians, calling the Kingaroy program "world's best practice" that "poses no danger to livestock or humans".


Queensland Country Life
Source: http://www.queenslandcountryl...

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