At last an article from an expert on the toxicology of hydrocarbons. Many thanks to Professor Naidu.

The author may wish to contact Graham Young since this article is not listed under the “Article Discussion Index .”

I am pleased to learn of the institute’s innovative technology since there are thousands of contaminated sites in Australia which are leaching hydrocarbons into soil and forming underground, hazardous plumes which subsequently head for our lakes and rivers.

Residential development has occurred on landfill sites and rubbish tips too, which exacerbates the insidious and devastating health and environmental impacts from fugitive emissions. The development of sensors to detect these toxins will make an enormous difference.

The use of poorly treated waste oil as a fuel for industrial stacks is another concern when poor combustion results in the formation of dioxins. Australia's pollutant industries have greatly exceeded the Stockholm Convention's guidelines for maximum emissions of chlorinated chemicals and seemingly with impunity. In fact, there is rarely a condition of licence requirement to test for dioxins as any relevant industry emissions’ report will reveal. Surely there is a cleaner and safer way to recycle waste oil?

The dumping of hazardous waste in rivers and bushland continues where unethical companies avoid the expense of collection. Alas, enforcement is weak and penalties are often a slap on the wrist:

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,,25304159-2761,00.html

However, It appears that a national policy, with support from state and territory environment ministers, may be underway to identify best practice in waste management and resource recovery, and to ensure Australia has the right mix of incentives and regulation.

Having learnt long ago that environment ministers know little about the environment, I look forward to learning more of CRC CARE’s research and development endeavours to mitigate the destructive impacts of hydrocarbons.

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The northerly direction and relatively fast transportation rate of oil recently spilled off Moreton Bay, indicates the direction of eastern Australia longshore current flow of bonded sewage nutrient pollution dumped into ocean environment daily. Like oil the fresh water with bonded nutrients rise into surface waters where prevailing S-SE winds push downstream into Great Barrier Reef waters, Cape York and the Arafura Sea. During part of the year the Arafura Sea flows strongly from west to east with then and there prevailing winds reaching Solomon Islands where a 69% increase in maternal mortality is recently reported.

Man-made names and jurisdictions of ocean and seas like Coral Sea and Solomon Sea have nothing to do with biology of the SW Pacific ecosystem where hundreds of whales are dead and islanders are suffering incomplete protein malnutrition including anaemia. Google: maternal child mortality anaemia malnutrition.

There is poor governance in the system failing to report the true state of the marine environment. Consequently causes and solutions are not being 'seen' and understood in order for solutions to be implemented. Ignorance with intent may constitute negligence against the environment and humanity.

On what justifiable grounds is regional Australian government and ABC media failing to report devastation of traditional available fish resources and resulting chronic poverty and maternal and child death related anaemia linked to incomplete protein food? Where are the autopsy results for so-so many stranded dead whales?