These alarmist statements about the fate of the treated effluent are based upon a submission by a Dr Godfrey on behalf of the surfriders.org. The Chief scientist expert panel interviewed Dr Godfrey and a reviewer of his report from consultant BMT WBM. These statements are based on Dr Godfrey’s interpretation of a photo of Nye Beach Oregon, USA that is claimed to show pollution from a pulp mill. See http://www.tca.org.au/Home%20Page%20Documents/Effluent_Dispersal_and_Content.pdf

However there appears to be no attempt by the consultant to verify the accuracy of this photo montage, yet Dr Godfrey’s conclusions and theories have been accepted.

The expert panel’s statement appears to ignore the results of the investigation by the Oregon Department of Environment Quality into the claims based on this photo that ribbons of polluted water will hit the beach.

The DEQ investigation including dye testing and modelling showed that the potential mechanism put forward by Dr Godfrey was in fact not possible.

The Newport Media reported this investigation as:

“DEQ officials said they had no evidence the discharge endangers human health or marine life, and determined that while winds might push the effluent toward shore, "the dilution will be so great that pollutants will be well below water quality criteria prior to reaching the surf zone.“ DEQ found no risk to people swimming at Nye Beach.”

Dr Godfrey failed to state in his report that there was also a sewerage outfall located at the beach.

If the expert panel was aware of these reports (for further details check Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is available from http://www.deq.state.or.us/wr/LocalProjects/GPToledo/WQeval.pdf) they should have rejected these claims and there would be no need for the public to be alarmed