Australia approves dumping of 1 million tons of sludge near Great Barrier Reef – “Dumping dredged sludge into world heritage waters treats our reef like a rubbish tip”

By Colin Drury
22 February 2019

(The Independent) – 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.

Although sludge dumping in the area is largely illegal, a loophole in the ban – it does not cover the discarding of waste created during port maintenance work – means the new permit can be granted.

“Government policy needs to change to ban all offshore dumping, so GBRMPA is not allowed to permit the reef’s waters to be used as a cheaper alternative to treating the sludge and disposing of it safely onshore,” Ms Waters told The Guardian. [more]

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