The Cancer Council has invited independent cancer researcher and cluster investigator Prof Stewart to Tasmania to talk about the use of atrazine as used in forestry and agriculture. He will speak at St Helens, Launceston and Hobart and listen to community concerns.
Where: St Helens Tidal Waters, 1 Quail St
When:12.30pm Monday 14 April
Where: Launceston General Hospital
When: 7.00 pm Monday 14 April
Where: Hobart RHH Clinical School 3rd floor lecture (Collins Street entrance).
When: 7.00 pm Monday 15 April
No need to RSVP the Cancer Council
Dr Alison Bleaney reports that:
"Since 2005, atrazine has been found in the Duck River, the Jordan River, the Rubicon River, the Liffey River, and the Derwent River. Simazine has been found in the Brid River, the Montague River, the Prosser River, the Rubicon River, the South Esk River and Trevallyn Dam, the Macquarie River (contaminated with simazine from July 2007 until January 2008, with no data available since that month), Brumbys Creek, and Western Creek.
Launceston's water supply reported simazine in 2003 and 2004 at above guideline values, and atrazine at above guideline value in 2001.
No figures can be given for episodes of contamination that were not measured or identified as Tasmania reportedly has only undertaken quarterly monitoring programs and these only for water soluble pesticides since
2005.
Atrazine has been found 16 times in river waters in Tasmania over the past 3 years. (5 in 2005, 5 in 2006, 6 in 2007) (DPIW pesticide monitoring program and results obtained from Freedom of Information request by the Greens.[1]) "
