Late last year I began looking into some issues concerning lead in Port Pirie when I broke a story about how testing confirmed a spate of dead birds and bats found across the South Australian town had been killed by acute lead poisoning. Since then, I've been continuing to dig through FOI. /1 - ThreadSky

roycerk2.bsky.social • 77 days ago

Late last year I began looking into some issues concerning lead in Port Pirie when I broke a story about how testing confirmed a spate of dead birds and bats found across the South Australian town had been killed by acute lead poisoning.

Since then, I've been continuing to dig through FOI.

/1

Reposted from Royce Kurmelovs

Documents obtained under FOI show dead and dying birds and bats found across Port Pirie in South Australia last year were exposed to lead at 3,000 times acceptable levels.

Take a moment to read this follow up investigation and report on the story I broke in December:

Comments

graemebrowning.bsky.social•77 days ago

This is an astonishing story that would have never seen the light of day. It would’ve been brushed under a very heavy carpet. Thank you for your tenacity in bringing this to our attention.

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

Oh, I'm not done, Mitzi.

graemebrowning.bsky.social•77 days ago

It reeks.
I’m guessing all that lead must’ve come from the “other” plant.

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

When I first reported the story, both PIRSA and the SA EPA confirmed the basis of my reporting, but their thin responses to my detailed questions about what exactly happened and the scale of the problem. A big question: why didn't EPA, as regulator, investigate?"

/2

popezebbidiexii.bsky.social•77 days ago

Silent Spring. Now with more official silence.

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

The first of two FOI applications I put in was with PIRSA, the agency who had initially investigated over concerns the deaths were caused by Avian Bird Flu. I'm going to share some of the more significant docs here, with names and contact details removed.

/3

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

Here are the two key emails when a PIRSA official first informs the EPA of the animal deaths at Port Pirie and the response from the EPA official at 4:19pm on a Friday. They cite the difficulty involved, and heavily imply the onus is on PIRSA to share all available evidence with the agency.

/4

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

PIRSA managed to collect samples that were then sent for autopsy. These included two rainbow lorikeets, three grey headed flying foxes, and a New Holland Honey eater. I'm not going to share all the full reports as they are extremely long and confusing. Here is one example from the three bats:

/5

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

A key detail from this report was this section: "bilaterally the nasal passages are distended by fine pale white gritty material admixed with red exudate".

Exudate, as I learned is "fluid that leaks out of blood vessels into nearby tissues". I wonder what this "white gritty material" is?

/6

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

PIRSA had the same question so they sent what samples they could for further testing. One document notes that not all samples were "suitable" for testing.

Here are the results for the kidney tests -- I am told labs test one kidney as the levels are the same for both.

/7

jduflou.bsky.social•77 days ago

Any of many forms of lead salt, maybe?

miggieblue.bsky.social•77 days ago

😳
This is really astonishing - and not in a good way!
I mean what on earth is the South Australian EPA’s role if not to protect their environment???

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

I actually asked them about how they see their role and their response is quoted in the story. This is their reply:

miggieblue.bsky.social•77 days ago

Yes. Their response is frustratingly disappointing.
Does this mean we need closer scrutiny of the terms of the licenses that are being issued? Forgive my ignorance but their response implies licenses must contain some criteria relating to env protection. Is that criteria specific & tight enough?

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

I am but a humble reporter who is doing the best they can despite being denied access. I would be happy to talk to anyone inside the agency, or an adjacent agency, on or off record, though.

miggieblue.bsky.social•77 days ago

You’re doing a great job!
Without your rpt I wouldn’t be thinking abt this & here I AM feeling so uncomfortable w what happened in SA that I want answers/improvement. Aust needs to get better at protecting our wildlife & environment.

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas what do you think?
#auspol #SAEPA

miggieblue.bsky.social•77 days ago

Nb I don’t often contact our politicians to request info or push for action but I did contact the SA Premiers office this morning via an online request regarding this issue. Hopefully others may do so too.

heradescends.bsky.social•77 days ago

How inspiringly narrow and bureaucratic, one might suggest a vision board…

triskeltic.bsky.social•77 days ago

📌

sunnydarkgreen.bsky.social•77 days ago

Quick look at map suggests nearest homes are less than 500m from the smelter.

But they're probably just poor people. #classwar

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

Locally, people are sensitive to criticism of the smelter and interpret criticism of company management as criticism of the town itself. The jobs it provides basically keeps the town going, so they associate their interests with management, resulting in omerta.

sunnydarkgreen.bsky.social•77 days ago

Residents need to shut the smelter, or force smelter owner to massively improve its vent filtration and dust handling, or move.
Forcing closure when Lib n Lab n EPA n most residents apathetic is v.hard.
Owner Trifigura is an enormous multinational, notorious polluter, completely amoral, DGAF.

roycerk2.bsky.social•77 days ago

Personally, I'm not here to tell the residents what to do. I do think it is in the public interest for the residents and South Australians to understand how decisions are made on serious public health, animal welfare and public administration issues. What they do with that information is up to them.

sunnydarkgreen.bsky.social•77 days ago

Sure, thats your role and you do it well.

I'm the distant armchair reactionary shooting from the lip, cross about stateless corporations making huge profits while destroying health and lives. [cross enough even to link to newscorpse]
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/port-pirie-smelter-sa-city-so-badly-polluted-with-lead-kids-cant-go-out-to-play-on-windy-days/news-story/584fe0dede3e8efc18bd279c290f6585

jpmegraw.bsky.social•75 days ago

Okay that’s horrific no turning a blind eye here

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