A parliamentary question regarding lead concentrate exports from WA ports, prompted by concerns over the Esperance community's exposure to heavy metals. The Minister responds by identifying ports exporting lead compounds and assuring practices are secure and environmentally sustainable.

AnsweredQoN 193Legislative Assembly
Asked
9 May 2007
Portfolio
Planning and Infrastructure

QuestionView source ↗

LEAD CONCENTRATE EXPORTS - WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PORTS
Given the minister’s intense knowledge of eastern states infrastructure projects, I am sure she will look forward to answering this question. Given that the minister is in charge of ports and given her government’s failure to protect the community of Esperance from the dangers of heavy metal, including lead, I ask - (1) What other Western Australian ports currently export or are about to export lead concentrate or other potentially hazardous metals, such as nickel? (2) What new measures has the minister put in place to guarantee that the transport, storage and loading of potentially hazardous materials at Western Australian ports is conducted strictly according to the licence conditions? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. As far as I know, the only port that exports lead carbonate is, indeed, the port of Esperance. Lead sulfate is exported, I think, from Geraldton and from Derby. Lead sulfate is a less dangerous product, because it is not as easily absorbed into the body as lead carbonate. We are making sure that the practices that are in place in those ports are secure and sound, and amount to an environmentally sustainable way of exporting the product.
(1) What other Western Australian ports currently export or are about to export lead concentrate or other potentially hazardous metals, such as nickel? (2) What new measures has the minister put in place to guarantee that the transport, storage and loading of potentially hazardous materials at Western Australian ports is conducted strictly according to the licence conditions? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. As far as I know, the only port that exports lead carbonate is, indeed, the port of Esperance. Lead sulfate is exported, I think, from Geraldton and from Derby. Lead sulfate is a less dangerous product, because it is not as easily absorbed into the body as lead carbonate. We are making sure that the practices that are in place in those ports are secure and sound, and amount to an environmentally sustainable way of exporting the product.
(2) What new measures has the minister put in place to guarantee that the transport, storage and loading of potentially hazardous materials at Western Australian ports is conducted strictly according to the licence conditions? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. As far as I know, the only port that exports lead carbonate is, indeed, the port of Esperance. Lead sulfate is exported, I think, from Geraldton and from Derby. Lead sulfate is a less dangerous product, because it is not as easily absorbed into the body as lead carbonate. We are making sure that the practices that are in place in those ports are secure and sound, and amount to an environmentally sustainable way of exporting the product.
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. As far as I know, the only port that exports lead carbonate is, indeed, the port of Esperance. Lead sulfate is exported, I think, from Geraldton and from Derby. Lead sulfate is a less dangerous product, because it is not as easily absorbed into the body as lead carbonate. We are making sure that the practices that are in place in those ports are secure and sound, and amount to an environmentally sustainable way of exporting the product.
(1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. As far as I know, the only port that exports lead carbonate is, indeed, the port of Esperance. Lead sulfate is exported, I think, from Geraldton and from Derby. Lead sulfate is a less dangerous product, because it is not as easily absorbed into the body as lead carbonate. We are making sure that the practices that are in place in those ports are secure and sound, and amount to an environmentally sustainable way of exporting the product.

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