Media Release 25 January, 2006

Death of the Harbour if Technology not Fast-Tracked

Sydney Harbour, an internationally recognised iconic site, could become a ‘dead zone' unless urgent steps are taken to fast track the technology necessary to safely remove the toxic industrial legacy still buried at dozens of sites, Clean Up Australia Chairman Ian Kiernan AO said today.

"The health of the harbour is at a crisis point but the threat has been known for decades. For many years it was hoped that industry would voluntarily clean up past contamination but it is clear that investment in new technology is needed now to remove that legacy once and for all."

Mr Kiernan said 18 years of Clean Up Australia Day has opened the community's eyes to just how polluted the harbour is and "it would come as no great surprise to most that the most serious problems are still there and require more than just Clean Up Australia Day to remedy them."

As Chairman of the Sydney Olympics Community Relations and Environment Committee, Mr Kiernan was outspoken about the need for toxic sediment in Homebush Bay to be removed. Mr Kiernan said the challenges to Sydney Harbour's future health include contaminated sediment in estuary areas west of the Gladesville Bridge, old landfill sites leaching into groundwater within the harbour catchment, and from underground storage tanks at disused gas works and petrol stations.

"It has only been since the Environment Protection Authority was given the legislative power to act through the Contaminated Land Management Act in 1997 that many of these threats have been discovered. "However, the harbour faces a bleak future and could become a dead zone unless the clean up effort is accelerated," Mr Kiernan said.

Mr Kiernan called for greater co-ordination between government agencies and councils so that the process of remediating contaminated land also deals with polluted sediments at the same time.

"For too long efforts to clean up contaminated land sites has not been matched by efforts to remove toxic sediment that lines the foreshore areas and on the harbour floor."

Media Enquiries, Paul Sheridan: 0410 516 656