M Mizzi, Tabulam/Ocean Shores.
It has recently come to the attention of anti-CSG activists that depleted uranium is being used in fracking operations throughout the world, particularly the USA.
Located in what are called ‘perforating guns’, which are small rods used to perforate the coal seam and, by exploding releasing the gas trapped in the coal, this by-product of the nuclear industry has also been responsible for birth defects in children in Iraq where depleted-uranium-tipped anti-tank shells were used by the US military in the city of Fallujah during an uprising against the American occupation there. Half of all babies born there since have been born malformed as shown here. Also 45 per cent of all pregnancies miscarry before term, a statistic also quoted in the article linked here.
The chemicals the CSG industry uses are kept highly secret. Why? Because the industry knows that their techniques of using high pressure, chemical-infused water and depleted uranium will toxify the water tables over time and poison the air in the meantime, but by then they will have gone, cash profits in hand, leaving the local community and the governments of the nations they destroy to deal with the mess, just as the US military has done to the blighted people of Fallujah.
Our elected representatives back these companies, as has been shown by the ongoing support of CSG by Thomas George in Lismore, and Chris Gulaptis in the Clarence. The ALP in the form of Janelle Saffin and Justine Elliot, of Page and Richmond respectively, pretend to oppose this industry on a local level but their executive and federal and state colleagues openly support it.
Just last week a move by The Greens in the federal parliament to allow landholders to say no to coal and gas companies entering their land was voted down by the major parties. This shows that despite their ongoing protestations against CSG mining in the northern rivers, Saffin’s and Elliot’s party cannot be trusted as they will be rolled and dominated by the party line no matter what they believe. This includes the possible use of depleted uranium next to our water and in our soils. The result will be the same as in Fallujah, Iraq. Our children’s children will be born defective and many will not be born at all if CSG is allowed to penetrate our area. No matter how much they bleat on about opposition, the major parties and their candidates in Page and Richmond simply cannot be trusted.
Surely all chemicals used in fracking must be disclosed. Food and beverage producers are required to disclose ingredients on their products. We drink water and use it to grow our food. The only reason the CSG extraction industry could oppose full disclosure and monitoring is if it feared even more widespread community opposition and eventual cessation of this practice. Australia has massive amounts of easily accessable coal and LNG not to mention huge renewable potential. There is no sane reason to damage people’s health by fracking. Greed is not a sane reason.