❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses community health concerns potentially linked to the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant, probing the Department of Health's awareness, actions, and potential conflict of interest. The Department denies a conflict and outlines investigations that found no link between the plant and reported health issues.
AnsweredQoN 326Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) is the Department of Health aware of the results of Dr Donahoe’s 2003 assessment of 29 people, who felt that their health concerns were a result of the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant; (c) if so, what were these results; (d) what actions has the Department of Health taken to assess claims that significant health concerns have been experienced by members of the local community, and that they consider these are the result of the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant; (e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(c) if so, what were these results; (d) what actions has the Department of Health taken to assess claims that significant health concerns have been experienced by members of the local community, and that they consider these are the result of the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant; (e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(d) what actions has the Department of Health taken to assess claims that significant health concerns have been experienced by members of the local community, and that they consider these are the result of the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant; (e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(b)-(c) The Department of Health is aware of media coverage of claims to this effect; however, the results of Dr Donohue's assessment have not been provided to the Department. (d) The Department of Health has extensively investigated the potential for the Plant to have caused ill health in the community: § The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant. § Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(d) The Department of Health has extensively investigated the potential for the Plant to have caused ill health in the community: § The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant. § Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant. § Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(c) if so, what were these results; (d) what actions has the Department of Health taken to assess claims that significant health concerns have been experienced by members of the local community, and that they consider these are the result of the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant; (e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(d) what actions has the Department of Health taken to assess claims that significant health concerns have been experienced by members of the local community, and that they consider these are the result of the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant; (e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(e) what actions does the Minister intend to take to resolve these claims and the related health concerns; and (f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(f) does a conflict of interest exist between claims of health issues resulting from the Plant, and the fact that the Health Department was responsible for a period of six years to ensure the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant did not represent a health risk to the community?
(b)-(c) The Department of Health is aware of media coverage of claims to this effect; however, the results of Dr Donohue's assessment have not been provided to the Department. (d) The Department of Health has extensively investigated the potential for the Plant to have caused ill health in the community: § The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant. § Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(d) The Department of Health has extensively investigated the potential for the Plant to have caused ill health in the community: § The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant. § Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant. § Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels. § The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials. § The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
§ The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant. This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community. (e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review. (f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 September 2005
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
28 days
(a) The Department of Health did not intervene to prevent or limit the community having access to Doctor Mark Donohue.
(b)-(c) The Department of Health is aware of media coverage of claims to this effect; however, the results of Dr Donohue's assessment have not been provided to the Department.
(d) The Department of Health has extensively investigated the potential for the Plant to have caused ill health in the community:
§ The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant.
§ Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels.
§ The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials.
§ The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant.
This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community.
(e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review.
(f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
(b)-(c) The Department of Health is aware of media coverage of claims to this effect; however, the results of Dr Donohue's assessment have not been provided to the Department.
(d) The Department of Health has extensively investigated the potential for the Plant to have caused ill health in the community:
§ The health of the community was assessed by a telephone survey of 1056 residents living within a five kilometre radius of the Plant. This survey did not reveal any pattern of illness that could be related to the Plant.
§ Biological testing of concerned people for heavy metals did not show any increase above expected levels.
§ The processing of waste treatment in the Plant did not cause the release of toxic materials.
§ The surrounding environment was not contaminated by heavy metals or volatiles from the Plant.
This suite of information does not support the claims that the Waste Treatment Plant has caused ill health in the community.
(e) The Department of Health has offered to meet with and support affected people with their local medical practitioners to ensure that their health concerns have been fully investigated and, if necessary, treated. This offer has been rejected by the community. The information collected from all government investigations relating to the potential for the Brookdale Waste Treatment Plant to effect the health of the surrounding community has been referred to the Environmental Health Foundation for independent review.
(f) No. The Department of Health has a primary and overriding responsibility to protect the health of the community, regardless of its former involvement in the management of the plant.
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