Dust puts residents in danger, according to long-awaited report

Long-term dust exposure could adversely affect the health of Hedland’s West End residents, a long-awaited State Government report has found.

Concerns over dust in the area have been long held as Port Hedland Port, the world’s largest volume bulk export facility, which ships commodities such as iron ore, salt and manganese, is close to residents.

Health Minister Kim Hames said the Port Hedland Health Assessment report released late last month confirmed there was “sufficient evidence to suggest (an increased level) of dust exposure can have an adverse impact on human health over the long term”.

“There is no immediate or acute health risk to the Port Hedland community, but the outcome of the various studies advocates a focus on minimising people’s exposure to dust, ” he said in a statement.

“Exposure risks in areas very close to the port (West End) could be managed through a number of strategies, in particular land-use planning, air quality monitoring and dust management by relevant agencies and industry.”

While the report reveals repercussions for people’s health, it also calls into question the future of the historic West End district in the year in which Port Hedland celebrates its 120th anniversary.

The Environmental Protection Authority has already cited health concerns over dust exposure to object to big developments, such as the Town of Port Hedland’s more than $100 million marina development on the Spoilbank.

The Town subsequently decided last May to drop plans to include a hotel and apartment tower in the waterfront development in the hope of avoiding future EPA objections.

It also committed to investigating planning restrictions for the West End to prevent intensive residential development.

But the Health Department’s report appeared to recommend the more drastic step of moving all residents from the West End.

“Because acceptable risk is based on population size, a strategy must be introduced now to manage and restrict future population growth in Port Hedland, ” the report stated.

“The closer to the port and Nelson Point operations, the tighter the restrictions.

“A long-term land-use planning strategy may offer a tool for gradually moving the residential areas away from the operations area.”

Hedland First National Real Estate principal Morag Lowe said the report left her confused.

“I have felt that over the last 10 years this issue has been addressed over and over again and with planning parameters in place that mitigated the risk, ” she said.

“Every time they do one of these studies, it seems to raise more questions than it alleviates.”

Labor’s Mining and Pastoral MP Stephen Dawson agreed, saying he was outraged by the State Government’s scant regard for the concerns of Hedland residents.

“After sitting on the report for three months then declining twice to table it in Parliament, the fact that the Health Department placed the report on their website late on a Friday afternoon without any public comment is cause for concern, ” he said.

“I don’t care whether it’s the Premier, Minister for Health or the Minister for Environment, but the Government needs to send someone out to tell us exactly what the report means for the future of the West End.

“Are people’s lives at risk? What does (it) mean for future development in the West End? And what remedial action will BHP and the other miners need to take to lower dust levels are all questions the Government needs to answer.”

A BHP Billiton spokeswoman said the miner would consider the report closely.

“We work collaboratively with other operators in the area, including Fortescue Metals Group, Roy Hill, Atlas Iron and the Pilbara Ports Authority, through the Port Hedland Industry Council to manage the industry’s contribution to air quality, ” she said.