Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide in Gold Mining Action Committee

ARCHIVES 2013
By admin-s

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/549170_577850358910586_1054320452_n-300x225.jpg 

DOE also stated that the HCN concentration is within the safe level as long as it does not breach the maximum permissible level (10ppm and 4.7ppm). What DOE has deliberately kept from the public is from where do they derive these numbers?  

Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide in Gold Mining Action Committee (BCAC) 

Referring to the Malay Mail news report（http://mmail.com.my/story/bukit-koman-cyanide-‘safe’-47495）dated 14 Feb 2013, Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide in Gold Mining Action Committee (BCAC) totally disagree with the explanation made by Department of Environment (DOE) that the concentration of the Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) detected in Bukit Koman, Raub is within a safe level.

According to the DOE ambient air monitoring exercise conducted daily since XX January  2013,  HCN as high as 1.15ppm has been detected in the ambient air in Bukit Koman.  This is more than 38 times higher than the maximum permissible limit of New York, USA (Maximum limit is 0.03ppm), Czech Republic (0.007ppm) and Russia (0.009ppm). This has clearly showed that the residents of Bukit Koman are continuously exposed to hazardous HCN gas at a concentration far exceeding the safety level.

Based on the occupational epidemiological studies conducted by OEHHA (note 1), the long term low level exposure to hydrogen cyanide (annual average levels exceed 0.008 ppm) can caused Center Nerve System, neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular effects , thyroid enlargement, and haematological disorders. 

We shall highlight another documented hard fact.  In a letter dated 14 Feb 2013 replying ADUN Tras’ earlier query, DOE wrote that their ambient air monitoring programme reported an average daily HCN concentration in the range of 0.32ppm to 0.85ppm. This inevitably inferred that the residents of Bukit Koman and indeed thousands who live nearby are exposed to poisonous Hydrogen Cyanide all the time and this will put their health and well being under extremely high risk. 

DOE also stated that the HCN concentration is within the safe level as long as it does not breach the maximum permissible level (10ppm and 4.7ppm). What DOE has deliberately kept from the public is from where do they derive these numbers? 

The so-called 4.7ppm ‘standard’ is based on the DOSH requirement while the maximum 10ppm permissible level is derived to Cyanide Management Guidelines of the Department of Mineral and Energy, Western Australia.  Both of the standards are NOT to be used for ambient air in a residential setting.    

Therefore, these standards cited by the DOE in coming to a conclusion that HCN level detected in Bkt Koman are ‘safe’ are NOT the correct standards at all.  We must be aware that HCN is not listed as a parameter in the Malaysia Ambient Air Quality Standard (MAAQS) precisely because it should NOT be detected in the ambient air at all.  

DOE should not use the above mentioned standards to mislead the public and create a false impression that the air we breathe in Bukit Koman is safe. It is not. In New York, the safe level for ambient air in residential environment is 0.03ppm. In Malaysia, the DOE simply pluck the 4.7ppm value from the Malaysia’s Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, which is really meant for monitoring exposure for industry workers 8 hours a day in factories or mine. 

On the other hand, the people in Bukit Koman, children and the elderly included, breathe 24 hours a day to survive. 

DOE should conduct the ambient air monitoring in a more open and transparent manner. The complete records (including raw data) have to be displayed and made available to the public, including Sulfur Dioxide(SO2) reading which is a highly corrosive gas with high toxicity. 

Since Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd (RAGM) started operating its Carbon In Leach gold refinery plant four years ago, the people of Bukit Koman and Raub has been suffering from disabling skin, eye and respiratory diseases which can be attributed to the polluting fumes, including Hydrogen Cyanide and Sulfur Dioxide, emitting from the gold mine located at a mere 50 meters from the Bukit Koman Village. BCAC strongly believe these pollutants are the main factor behind the health problems as reported by the residents living in close proximity of the plant. 

Therefore, BCAC demand that:-

1.     The responsible authorities must issue stop work order immediately pending a detail investigation on the extent of environmental contamination caused by the gold mining operation and how human health has been impacted. And also take appropriate measures to conduct remediation for the contaminated sites and to compensate for the loss and sufferings of the individuals affected by the gold mining operations.

2.     DOE should disclose the complete records (all the 9 parameters, including SO2) detected by its portable FTIR gas analyzer (model Gasmet DX4040).

3.     DOE shall extend its ambient air monitoring from current 15 hours to continuous 24 hours. Currently DOE only monitor the ambient air from 9am till 3am, and skip the early morning period where a lot of residents always complaint of detected strong chemical odour.  As the wind direction will also affected the test accuracy, therefore, BCAC urge DOE to identify and allocate more air monitoring locations in order to obtain more comprehensive results.

4.     DOE must review and revised the existing MAAQS and other related environmental regulations.   New laws and regulations shall be legislated, and the existing laws and regulations tightened with regards to the use of cyanide in gold mining. To protect the environmental and human health, Cyanide must be prohibited in gold mining sector.

According to the earlier statements made by Pahang State Exco member, YB Dato Hoh Khai Mun, he shall take action against RAGM once any HCN content was detected in the ambient air. Based on the current DOE ambient air monitoring report, we demand Hoh to act on his promise and hence take immediate action against RAGM.

Note 1 : Refer to http://oehha.ca.gov/air/hot_spots/2008/AppendixD3_final.pdf#page=313

Press Statement issued by,

Pahang Raub Ban Cyanide in Gold Mining Action Committee (BCAC)

 

 

日期:16-3-2013

劳勿空气污染证据确凿 反山埃委员会促政府施停工令 

根据马来邮报2013年2月14日（http://mmail.com.my/story/bukit-koman-cyanide-‘safe’-47495）的报导，环境局宣称武吉公满空气中的山埃气体（HCN）的浓度是处于安全水平，彭亨劳勿反山埃委员会完全不能苟同此说法。

环境局所进行的空气探测数据显示，劳勿武吉公满山埃气体（HCN）浓度高达1.15ppm，远高于其他国家的环境空气素质标准~捷克 （0.00724ppm），苏联（0.00905ppm），以及纽约（0.03ppm）。这清楚说明彭亨州劳勿县武吉公满新村的空气已被污染以及这地区的 山埃气体浓度已经严重的超标，甚至已超过大城市纽约的标准38倍以上。  

美国加州环境健康危害协会办公室研究（OEHHA）研究证实，长期暴露高于0.008ppm的山埃气体将会影响中枢神经系统，造成甲状腺肿大以及导致血液系统疾病（注1）。

在环境局于2月14日给都赖区州议员办公室的回函中，环境局也证实一月份在武吉公满进行每日15小时的空气探测结果显示，山埃气体（氢化氰）每日平 均浓度为0.32ppm – 0.85ppm。亦即证明武吉公满和周边地区居民每日长期暴露在山埃气体，居民的健康受到严重威胁。

环境局宣称，只要山埃气体指数不超过4.7ppm和10ppm就是安全的。4.7ppm是大马工业安全局（DOSH）的工业安全指标，而10ppm的限制则是参考西澳洲矿物与能源局的西澳洲山埃管理准则。

环境局荒谬地在住宅区设定比工业安全指标超2.1倍的标准！这是误导人民的反逻辑作法。我们坚决认为这两项标准并不适用于长时间24小时暴露于山埃气体的村民身上。虽然现有的马来西亚空气素质法令（MAAQS）没概括山埃气体，但不代表环境局可以误导性引用工业标准来取代环境空气标准和沿用错误的标准误导宣称武吉公满空气中的山埃气体浓度是处于安全水平。

再说，环境局并未透明化地全面公布空气中的其它污染物质的探测结果，包括对皮肤有刺激性和腐蚀性的有毒气体～二氧化硫。金矿已经运作了四年，因此我们有理由怀疑长年累月暴露于空气中的污染物质可能正是导致居民健康受损的原因之一。

反山埃委员会强烈要求： 

  1. 有关当局马上施停工令,要求金矿公司停止运作以免继续释放出有害居民健康的化学污染物。环境局应进一步调查有关污染化学物对环境和村民的健康影响，并采取相关步骤来修复环境和赔偿健康受损的居民。
  2. 环境局对公众透明化地全面公布空气测量仪器（Gasmet DX4040）测量到空气中的所有污染物质的记录，包括对皮肤有刺激性和腐蚀性的有毒气体～二氧化硫。
  3. 环境局必须将现有的15小时的测量时间延长到24小时，全天候探测空气中的污染物质。环境局现有的测量时段是从早上9时至凌晨3时，居民较常嗅到化学异味的清晨时段，环境局却没有进行任何探测。由于风向因素也会导致空气探测 报告出现偏差，所以本会促请环境局在金矿周边地区装置更多的测量器以提升报告的准确性。
  4. 环境局全面检讨马来西亚空气素质法令（(Malaysia Ambient Air Quality Standard）和相关的法令，并禁止山埃采金，以确保有效的保护环境和人民的健康。

彭亨州行政议员（地方政府、环境、卫生委员会主席）拿督何启文曾在2009年保证，“如果证实空气中拥有山埃成分，将采取行动对付该工厂”。现在环境局已证实空气中出现山埃气体并且严重超标！所以我们要求他兑现承诺，马上采取行动对付劳勿澳洲金矿公司。

注1：参考 http://oehha.ca.gov/air/hot_spots/2008/AppendixD3_final.pdf#page=313

 

 



Comments
Loading...