Australia approves dumping of 1 million tons of sludge near Great Barrier Reef

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Independent


Ditching of industrial waste treats world heritage waters ‘like rubbish tip’, critics say

Colin Drury @colin__drury
1 day ago


More than one million tons of sludge are to be dumped close to the Great Barrier Reef after authorities in Australia approved plans to discard industrial dredge spoil.

Sediment scooped up from the sea floor during maintenance work at nearby Hay Point Port will be ditched under a permit granted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).

“Dumping dredged sludge into world heritage waters treats our reef like a rubbish tip,” said Larissa Waters, a senator for The Greens party.

The plans have been approved barely a week after warnings that filthy water from recent floods in Queensland could cause irreparable damage to the reef by blocking sunlight and preventing photosynthesis which the coral relies on to survive.


Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/great-barrier-reef-sludge-dump-australia-marine-park-dredge-spoil-greens-a8791801.html

[DirtEdonE]

1. It seems humans can't wipe themselves out fast enough

I always said the human race is a self-limiting problem.

Religious stories of angels and gods visiting earth must be true because it would take extra-terrestrial intervention to save a race as fucking stupid as we are.

[Yeehah]

8. The real tragedy is the other amazing species we are destroying

I foresee a sad world without lions, tigers, wolves, etc.

[Glorfindel]

2. I would have thought better of the Aussies. Very sad to learn this.

They have a million square miles of desert...couldn't they dump the sludge there somewhere?

[EarthFirst]

3. Someone knows someone...

This is likely the cheapest; most cost effective way to dispose of this sludge.

[not fooled]

9. Their society has been poisoned by murdoch

and his media empire of far-right propaganda.

Australia is the rock that he crawled out from under.

[MBS]

10. They have their gross developers, too.

When I visited there about 20 years ago, I was regaled with stories about some super-rich guy who seemed determined to destroy the Daintree Rain Forest (a UNESCO world heritage site) for "development." Sounded way, way too familiar for my taste. I remember driving late at night on one leg of our trip, and hearing political stories and talk radio that sounded way too much like Fox News/Rush Limbaugh/Republican far-right wackos for my taste.

[Devil Child]

11. Greed and laziness are universal

I share in your sadness.

There is no easy option for hazardous waste disposal, looks like they are going for quick and easy fix.

[bluestarone]

4. Anymore it sounds like the whole world has

Gone completely fucking crazy!!!!!

[Cold War Spook]

5. If you haven't watched them yet,

watch Blue Planet and Blue Planet II The Great Barrier Reef, along with many more reefs, is dying. Jacques Cousteau said that when the oceans die we will die. Phytoplankton in the ocean is the source of 50-85% of our oxygen. They can't come up with a closer figure because they don't know exactly how much Phytoplankton there is.

[Evolve Dammit]

6. What are they thinking? They can't find a place on the continent? Best reef on the planet

[sakabatou]

7. Because screw marine life!