This press release was in response to; - Soil and Health Association Wednesday 30th October 2019.

Entitled; - “Polluting chemicals left out of freshwater policy” http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1910/S00304/polluting-chemicals-left-out-of-freshwater-policy.htm

Soil and Health Ass’n had legitimate concerns about ‘Omissions on Emissions: and Polluting chemicals being left out of government’s freshwater policy’

QUOTE;“The Soil and Health Association and Physicians and Scientists for Global Responsibility claim that environmental chemicals and heavy metals have been left outside the scope of the freshwater policy process; - The claim is made in a hard-hitting paper in response to the Ministry for the Environment Action for healthy waterways discussion document. The two organisations have secured support from a wide range of NGOs and private organisations; - 'If National Environment Standards (NES) are to ensure freshwater is safe and healthy, then pollution from ongoing industrial, agricultural and urban diffuse chemical emissions must be monitored and controlled at a national level’ states Jodie Bruning, Soil and Health spokesperson. ‘Yet relevant experts in chemical toxicology, endocrinology and environmental chemistry do not appear to have been consulted and this is a major concern. ‘Recent studies show we have chemical mixtures in our rivers. Many of these chemicals are banned in Europe and the OECD has drawn attention to our degraded environment, and our threatened freshwater species. They state that diffuse pollution is an international problem. This problem is not going away - the UN has stated ‘Urgent action is needed to tackle chemical pollution as global production is set to double by 2030’’.

CEAC says that is a disturbing revelation, - when we consider the lack of leadership from the Minister overseeing the NZ “freshwater policy” as this does not ensure the “Community health and wellbeing of all our citizens.

We strongly now request the Honourable Minister David Parker presiding over the “freshwater policy” now include all chemicals such as; - pollution from ongoing industrial, agricultural and urban diffuse chemical emissions from road runoff such as tyre dust must be included in the freshwater policy to ensure the safety, health and community wellbeing of our citizens.in our legal laws set down by Government Act “The “Local Government community wellbeing Act” May 2019.

CEAC stands in solid support of all NGO’s and health and scientific organisations in recommending Aotearoa New Zealand adopts European standards and guidelines to manage and control toxic chemicals and protect our freshwater and food as they are more advanced at protecting public and environmental health. Farmers can be supported in this transition which also includes corresponding benefits that mitigate greenhouse gases.

CEAC had already outlined the need for more stringent control of ‘road runoff of toxic chemicals’ inline with European standards in this earlier press release. “Proposals to curb environmental damage help our coasts” 20th October 2019. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1910/S00213/proposals-to-curb-environmental-damage-help-our-coasts.htm

Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre “Proposals to curb environmental damage help our coasts and the oceans”
Government Ministers today welcomed the release of a marine environment report highlighting the four key issues affecting our oceans, estuaries and coastlines.
We at CEAC also welcome and support Government with this set of proposals but recommend more focus on road transport pollution emissions especially from the ‘leaching of road runoff pollution’ quote; “Road dust; an overlooked pollutant.” .
During a review of the Government policy “Our marine environment 2019”
CEAC uses bullet points to highlight those four key issue proposals from I to 4.
At CEAC we regard that ‘land transport’ activities is a large cause of pollution to our ‘natural and built’ environment and coastal waters, and was not adequately considered during the planning of this coastal proposal, even in the key issue 1/ under “OUR ACTIVITIES ON LAND ARE POLLUTING OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT”.
Hence our amendments were called for here as we are advised by The Ministry of Transport studies into “road vehicle pollution runoff” that this is a significant environmental pollution issue to consider, “Our marine environment 2019”
Key issues.
• 1/ “OUR ACTIVITIES ON LAND ARE POLLUTING OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT”
• 2/ “OUR ACTIVITIES AT SEA ARE AFFECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
• 3/ CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, TAONGA SPECIES, AND US
• 4/ ISSUES ARE NOT ISOLATED, BUT BUILD ON EACH OTHER AND CAUSE MORE HARM

CEAC amendments; to key policy.
1/ OUR ACTIVITIES ON LAND ARE POLLUTING OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT
3/ CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, TAONGA SPECIES, AND US

1/
OUR ACTIVITIES ON LAND ARE POLLUTING OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT
“Our activities on land, especially agriculture and forestry, and growing cities, increase the amount of sediment, nutrients, chemicals, and plastics that enter our coasts and oceans.”
This issue must include; https://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/277na4_en.pdf
According to the European Commission Environmental Integration Research the road dust (tyre dust) evidence is confirmed under the heading “Road dust; an overlooked pollutant.” Unsustainable high use of 90% truck freight carried must be lowered and rail encouraged to balance land transport use to lower these Greenhouse gas emissions for a more sustainable land transport in future. Micro-plastics from truck tyre dust would also be reduced while restoring water quality and lowering climate change.

Summary;

If we want to be a world leader in “clean-green policy then we need to demonstrate our resolve to clean up our environment not just play lip service toward it.

References to;

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1910/S00137/proposals-to-curb-environmental-damage-help-our-coasts.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1910/S00183/groups-unite-on-freshwater-policies-for-healthy-water.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1910/S00213/proposals-to-curb-environmental-damage-help-our-coasts.htm

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