Dust Up: Review of Harmful PM10 Dust Emissions in the Mackay ...

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from the coal stockpiles, to just a few at Grasstree Beach, 8.25km from the coal stockpiles.Regrettably there are no measurements available for McEwens Beach, Bakers Creek and Mackay,where the prevailing south-easterly winds would blow dust farther and over more residential areas(Fig. 5).The percentages of coal dust falling on residential areas ranged from 1-30 per cent. Values less thanone per cent were considered to be zero per cent and not counted. Given that coal exports couldfirst double to 170Mtpa and then quadruple in 20 years to 340Mtpa it is reasonable to expect thatthese percentages of PM10 coal dust particulates would increase significantly. This is because coalrail lines will increase to eight, and much more coal would be unloaded and placed on conveyor beltsfor transport to the coal shipping. Coal dust would also be lost during loading the coal ships. The coalstock piles at Dudgeon Point will be up to 20 m high as they will sit on a 5m base above storm surgelevels. Their additional height means they will lose more coal dust than lower stock piles elsewherein Hay Point port lands.Fig. 4 Location of On-Site and Surrounding Residential Dust Deposition Monitored Sites at Hay Point.Mackay Conservation Group. Dust Up Report. Oct 2013
Fig. 5 Proposed urban expansion downwind of the prevailing south-easterlies from the Hay Point Port Lands.Source: http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/miw/miw-regional-plan.pdf page 111.Planning NeedsAs there is no exposure level below which coal dust does not present a risk to health and the Port ofHay Point plans to run for at least 90 years, coal dust exposure would be higher, very long-term andmulti-generational in its health impacts 5 .As well as dealing with the issue of an air shed approaching capacity for dust particulate emissions,planners in state and federal government must evaluate the health risks of more major coal exportexpansion at Hay Point and decide if such expansion should proceed. These community health issuesare not specifically addressed in the draft Queensland Ports Strategy which aims to be the blueprintfor managing and improving the efficiency and environmental management of the state's portsnetwork over the next decade. 6The Ports of Hay Point, Mackay and Abbot Point are designated as Priority Port Development Areas(PPDAs). Hay Point and Mackay will comprise a single PPDA of two zones. The QueenslandGovernment will, as part of proposed ports legislation, prohibit capital dredging for the developmentof additional deepwater port facilities outside of the five PPDAs until 2024. Under the QueenslandPorts Strategy, ports declared to be PPDAs will be required to prepare leading practice master plans5B. Brunekreef and B. Forsberg. Review: Epidemiological evidence of effects of coarse airborne particles onhealth. European Respiratory Journal, 2005, Vol. 26, No.2 pp309-318http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/160558816http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/infrastructure-and-planning/queensland-ports-strategy.htmlMackay Conservation Group. Dust Up Report. Oct 2013
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Page 3 and 4: Executive Summary:The objectives of
Page 5 and 6: Fig. 2 Average Annual Ambient Air Q
Page 7: pollution falling over Bakers Creek

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