Darren Smith, Mullumbimby
Will the Neo-Greens governing Byron Council be adhering to the relevant federal and state safety regulations when generating the clouds of ‘radioactive’ dust by digging up and transporting the 30,000m3 of fill?
These laws, regulations, and protocols are designed to protect workers and the public from the toxic side-effects of sand mining activities. Will they be obeyed by the contractors? Enforced by the consent authority and site safety managers? Who will monitor these elements?
According to records held by the DPI this area was the railhead where thorium ore was loaded on to trains and sent to Brisbane from 1937 till 1961.
Afterwards, the waste and tailings around the railyards and stockpiles were dozed and capped with scrub, rocks, and clay to form the basis of Butler St and now destination Byron Bay.
Just borrow a Geiger counter and walk the area yourself; it’s there alright.
Will there be signs erected to warn visitors of these carcinogenic, naturally occurring biohazards?
Will residents and visitors be given biohazard dust suits and masks while this nanoparticle, airborne, toxic hazard wafts around?
Unfortunately, the glowing forest of Fern Gully stands in way of profit and progress. Who will save us from the tourists? Council? Extinction Rebellion? The mayoral bypass, of cour$e!