Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:34 PM
Seeking suggestions for campaign around lead standard in Victoria (re: ULAB proposal)
Good afternoon Elizabeth,
Leanne Norwood gave me your details and has explained that you have provided invaluable advice to the action group regarding the Chunxing proposal for a ULAB.
You are most likely aware- on the 17/9/2020 the Latrobe Valley Council voted against the proposal and declined the planning permit. This was a significant win for the community and now we need to wait and see what Chunxing’s response will be.
The campaign against the ULAB has raised community awareness around the risks associated with lead and the inadequacy of Australian Standards around lead emissions, lead in soil etc.
I was hoping to get your thoughts on how the community can best campaign for this to change?
Right now there is interest in lead and greater awareness of its impacts- I feel that it would be useful to start campaigning to change the lead standards in Victoria (and Australia).
As I am not familiar with environmental campaigning- I was hoping you could please give me some pointers on:
- existing campaigns to change the lead standard
- channels that have been used to good effect
- any useful connections
- any ideas you may have on where to start and what can be implemented on the ground
One aspect that I have become aware of since the ULAB campaign is the Power Stations annual emissions of lead in the Latrobe Valley (see below table I created from NPI data- annual emissions in kg).
I have considered it could be used as leverage to encourage the EPA to set up independent lead air monitoring?
Or at least get lead to be on the power stations licenses?
The Victorian EPA has also given approval for the local Paper Mill to start a waste- energy program. I believe that there may be risk of lead emissions relating to this industry as well?
I have read about the VegeSafe program run by Macquarie University- this is a program I am looking at. But I also feel that a broader campaign is needed as well.
There are 2 policy windows that have recently closed- but I feel that they could be still used for leverage????:
– coal power station reviews (Latrobe Valley stations) in Victoria. Submissions were made available to a select amount of environmental groups and the public was able to do a survey- now closed
– Victoria’s Clean Air strategy. Submissions have also now closed.
Any advice is appreciated on how to campaign for better outcomes for lead monitoring and standards.
I have been in shock since learning of the absolute failure of the Australian Standards to be reflective of international best practice and want to do more.
Thank you in advance for considering this and for any feedback going forward.
Kind regards
Maggie Jones
Hazelwood South