6 days Ago By Jon Daly, Pip Waller, and Nadia Mitsopoulos
One of the world's largest lithium mines can be seen from Tash Issler and Monte Ling's kitchen window in the Western Australian town of Greenbushes. But the couple say life beside the mine, operated by Sino-American company Talison Lithium, has become a nightmare in recent years. "It's just constantly breathing in toxic dust, and at night-time just constant noise.
You can't sleep," Mr Ling said. "Just the worst cough I've ever had in my life. My eyes are just sticky and gooey, and [I'm] going mad.
" The Greenbushes lithium mine is the largest and oldest in Australia. They are among residents who believe their stubborn coughs and irritated eyes are caused by the rising dust levels of the nearby mine site. Talison Lithium's mine has exceeded regulated safe limits on dust levels at least eight times last year, and four times so far this year.
Locals have come forward with images and reports of white dust layering the town. Locals have noticed white dust layering the outside of their cars. The Greenbushes town site, 240 kilometres south of Perth, is also a thoroughfare for mine haulage trucks.
And production at the mine itself has increased by 50 per cent in recent years. Talison chief executive Rob Telford on the community. He said the miner was committed to turning things around.
"I am confident we can make a difference going forward," Mr Telford said. Miner holds community meeting Dozens of locals gathered at a community meeting in Greenbushes on Thursday night. At a community meeting on Thursday evening, dozens of locals gathered to hear how the mine operator would make amends.
Mr Telford said it had implemented more dust management triggers, including machinery shut downs when levels get too high. He said "non-hazardous" dust suppressant chemicals were being used at its mine site and on haulage roads. Talison chief executive Rob Telford promised the mine operator would make amends with the community.
After the meeting Greenbushes resident Glenn Collier said the Talison chief executive had shown "moral backbone". "[There's] a lot of recognition from the mine of what's happening," Mr Collier said. "But also [it is] a coincidence that this is now coming from the mine after media attention and a louder-growing voice, not just the local community but the community of the South West.
" Greenbushes' Glenn Collier is worried about long-term health impacts from lithium mine dust. Dust prompts silicosis concerns Ms Issler is concerned that damage from excessive mine dust exposure has already been done and wants answers on any longer-term health effects. "The last thing I want is to find myself 10-15 years down the track with silicosis or any other of those respiratory conditions," she said.
Mr Telford said Talison had undertaken monthly testing of the dust's composition for the past year. "There's silica in everything, all around. But the silica levels that are harmful to health we have negligible levels in our dust, as far as our testing shows.
" But he conceded any exposure still posed some risk. "Even benign dust is an irritant," he said. "It's an irritant to eyes, noses, throats, and it certainly doesn't help health conditions at all.
" Resident Glenn Collier said he was not satisfied with the testing, and locals had collected their own dust samples for further independent analysis. "If the children, the people, the townsfolk are already sucking down this dust, what is the next question?" he said. Calls for regulator crackdown WA Premier Roger Cook said he was "monitoring the situation".
"They have to be held accountable against those issues, but also they have to be held accountable against their social licence to operate," he said. The town of Greenbushes is around 240 kilometers south of Perth. Ms Issler said the existing guidelines for Talison's Greenbushes mine were not fit-for-purpose, given its proximity to resident's homes.
"I don't think it's good enough to say they comply with normal regulations because much of [the regulations are] designed for the majority of mines in remote locations," she said. "The situation here is quite different." After many sleepless nights, Mr Ling wants better enforcement.
"I'd like to see the book thrown at these guys," he said..
