Blue Mountains Unions & Community Calls for Monitoring of Coal Dust Pollution

Every week, thousands of tonnes of coal cross the Blue Mountains aboard trains up to 60 wagons long. But not all coal leaves the mountains.

As the coal wagons are uncovered, dust escapes into the atmosphere causing what doctors believe is a hidden health risk.

Now their calls for Government action are being backed by the Blue Mountains Unions and Community (BMUC) who have voted unanimously to raise these concerns with state and federal governments and the Blue Mountains City Council.

Dr Sujata Allan from the public health advocacy group Doctors for the Environment says that air pollution from the mining, burning and transport of coal increases risks of heart disease, lung disease, asthma and some cancers.

“Research from Newcastle has shown that every time coal trains go by there are big spikes in air pollution-with potential impacts on nearby populations. Covering coal wagons and regulating dirty diesel locomotives would reduce air pollution.”

Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle has already raised BMUC’s concerns in State Parliament and called upon the “the NSW Government, freight rail industry and coal industry to work together to establish air quality monitoring infrastructure along the Blue Mountains rail corridor to reassure residents of their air quality.”

The BMUC has established through approaches to the Environmental Planning Agency ( EPA) that so far there has been no air quality monitoring along the Blue Mountains rail corridor. The EPA has informed BMUC that the nearest air monitoring stations are at Bathurst and St Mary’s.

Greens Councillor Kerry Brown has established that the BMCC has no air monitoring stations in the mountains.

In a statement from the EPA, BMUC was told: “In August 2016 the Chief Government Scientist, Mary O’Kane released a report on rail coal dust emissions management practices in NSW. The report found that further investigation and research is needed to better understand the nature and distribution of particles along the rail corridors, and that industry should continue to implement existing dust mitigation measures.”

BMUC president Kerry Cooke pointed out that thousands of Blue Mountains residents live within 100 metres of the rail line. “We’ve already waited far too long for government action on this. If the government can’t get its act together to carry out monitoring in the Blue Mountains we will be looking to get the job done independently. There’s a real double standard here. One of our members was fined $400.00 for driving his ute with an uncovered load of wood. “Yet the government apparently sees no health risk from massive uncovered coal trains or dirty diesel locomotives carrying thousands of tonnes of coal over the mountains week after week.”

“BMUC is calling for state and federal Environment ministers to implement air quality monitoring along the rail corridor where coal wagons traverse, for the coal wagons to be covered and pollution standards be introduced for locomotives similar to those applying to trucks. As well as following the Senate recommendations that all coal wagons be washed prior to returning to the coal mine.

BMUC was advised on the dangers of coal dust pollution by two members of Doctors for the Environment-Dr Richard Stiles who practices in Lithgow and Katoomba and Dr Sujata Allan who formerly practiced in Faulconbridge and Katoomba.

For further info, contact:

Peter Lammiman: 0410 153157
Kerry Cooke: 0481 341950
Nick Franklin: 0428 259754
Sujata Allan: 0416 550242
Richard Stiles: 0427 525484