26-11-08 DPIW - Results of Pesticide Monitoring in Rivers.

http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/CART-69STWK?open#MonitoringResults

Pesticide contamination of Tasmania's rivers has yet again been demonstrated.

All of these pesticides are used by both forestry and agriculture.

It is unacceptable that pesticide contamination is continuing in many of Tasmania's drinking water catchments with no public detailing of the sources of contamination or actions taken to prevent recurrence. The potential harm to human and environmental health is well documented. The need for our Government regulators to take action and prevent this has been stated many times. It is not acceptable to allow the release of toxic pesticides into water catchments and then turn one's back on the consequences.

The SIRU results are quite confronting:

since 8/08 - Meander River 4/8 - MCPA,

17/8 - MCPA

Rubicon River 4/8 - 2,4-D and MCPA,

13/8 - 2,4-D and MCPA,

29/8 - 2,4-D and MCPA

Brid River 11/8 - MCPA and fluazifop,

22/8 - simazine and 2,4-D

1/9 - simazine

Derwent River 10/10 - atrazine

Flood results - no results for the George River after 3/8 and yet there was a

significant rain event end of October; where are these results?

Little Swanport has no recorded results after 7/07 and Esperance after 8/07.

Baseline monitoring - Liffey River at Carrick 5/11 - MCPA

Brid River 28/10 - simazine