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Australia OKs Dumping Dredge Waste In Barrier Reef

Posted by samzenpus on from the put-that-anywhere dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has approved the dumping of 3 million cubic meters of dredge waste in park waters. The decision has been blasted by environmentalists. 'This is a sad day for the reef and anyone who cares about its future,' said WWF Great Barrier Reef campaigner Richard Leck. 'The World Heritage Committee will take a dim view of this decision, which is in direct contravention of one of its recommendations.'"

9 of 277 comments (clear)

  1. Sign the petition by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This might help:

    https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/unesco-great-barrier-reef

    It's absolutely disgraceful that politicians can be so short sighted as to allow this to happen. It makes my blood boil.

    1. Re:Sign the petition by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If the shit was not "Waste" before it was scooped up and moved to another spot, then it's still not "Waste".

      "Dredge waste" is more commonly called "sand". It is not exactly toxic industrial sludge that they are dumping.

    2. Re:Sign the petition by zaphod777 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      While this is a complex issue, coral health really depends on water clarity and lack of nutrients in the water column. I am mostly worried if this will make the water so murky or even bury the coral. This may be far enough away that it won't make a difference but it needs to be taken into account.

      --
      "Don't Panic!"
    3. Re:Sign the petition by godel_56 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If the shit was not "Waste" before it was scooped up and moved to another spot, then it's still not "Waste".

      "Dredge waste" is more commonly called "sand". It is not exactly toxic industrial sludge that they are dumping.

      Sometimes dredge waste is called "silt" or even "mud".

      Oh well, the Great Barrier reef will be dead in a few decades anyway from rising sea temperatures, some no real harm done.

      /bitter_cynicism

  2. Re:By reef... by mjwx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    25 KM will easily be covered by currents.

    Implying that the current flows from the dump site towards the reef?

    Implying that things in the water will only go one way?

    Along with currents you also have sea life and humans that will also move detritus quite easily.

    You might not be familiar with water, but things dumped in the water (especially particulate matter like silt) rarely stays where you dump it.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  3. Re:By reef... by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And by "reef", they mean a patch of silt 25km away from the actual reef.

    And Deepwater Horizon was 77km (48 miles) from shore. This just in: ocean currents move stuff around.

  4. Re:By reef... by viperidaenz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Could that be why they are dumping at a site where silt normally settles?

  5. Re:By reef... by Dutchmaan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "After all, what's just "a little bit more" gonna do..."
    Next time: "After all, what's just "a little bit more" gonna do..."
    Next time: "After all, what's just "a little bit more" gonna do..."
    Next time: "After all, what's just "a little bit more" gonna do..."
    Next time: "After all, what's just "a little bit more" gonna do..."
    Next time: "After all, what's just "a little bit more" gonna do..."

  6. Re:By reef... by TapeCutter · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The reason they don't dump tonnes of rubble in residential zones is because the land is more valuable as real estate than a dumping ground, and millions of tonnes of rubble takes up a whole lotta space.

    Sound logic, I'm an Aussie taxpayer and I think a marine park is more valuable as a breeding ground for fish than a private dumping ground for Senator Clive Palmer's unwanted land fill.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.