EnvironmeNT : the newsletter of the Environment Centre NT
Environment Centre NT
EnvironmeNT; E-Journals; PublicationNT; EnvironmeNT : the newsletter of the Environment Centre NT
2002-05-01
Darwin
This publication contains may contain links to external sites. These external sites may no longer be active.; Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).
English
Environment Centre N.T; Ecology; Periodicals
Environment Centre NT
Darwin
EnvironmeNT : the newsletter of the Environment Centre NT
application/pdf
Copyright
Environment Centre NT
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/223827
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/685226
May 2002 Page 6 WWANTED: Your help to get GEANTED: Your help to get GE--free food labelsfree food labels Dear GeneEthics supporters, GeneEthics Network and Greenpeace Australia Pacific have a joint information campaign on GE-free food labelling. Your support is needed to ensure complete information is available to food buyers when our True Foods booklet is published in May. Below is a short list of some GE-free foods, both labelled and unlabelled. We need your input to make the list more complete, and to confirm information from companies. Please look out for GE-free foods not already on our list and advise us on the proforma below. Please also send in empty packages and labels for publicity and record keeping purposes. To be on the (Green) list, products must be clearly labelled "GE-free", "No GMO", "Not genetically modified", "No Genetic Engineering" etc. Companies that claim to be GE-free but do not label their products are on another (Light Green) list, while their claims are confirmed. Call the 1800 numbers on labels to urge these companies to also label. Most foods produced using gene technology are unlabelled because of exemptions in the law. We suggest you buy foods labelled GEfree whenever possible to send a clear message with your $s, to food processors and retailers. Public demand has already led many to revise their recipes and source GE-free foods. Despite a lack of GE labels, the law also requires processors to know and document which ingredients are GE or GE-free. As the Food Authority requires these documents to be ready for inspection, institutions - councils, hospitals, schools, etc - can require GE-free foods in their food service contracts for creches, meals on wheels and other food services. (We can help you to get your local institutions to go GE-free.) Thank you for participating. Bob Phelps Director, Genethics April 2002 Two new mines proposed in Batchelor area As well as being flooded by gas proposals, recently ECNT has been working on submissions on 2 proposed new mines near Batchelor. The more advanced in terms of environmental approvals is a Magnesium metal mine being developed by a company called Mt Grace resources. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)for this project has been out for public comment. ECNT made a detailed submission outlining our areas of concern with the proposed mine. The major issues addressed included: Impacts on surface and ground water- Mt Grace are proposing to re-route Coomalie Creek and clear all existing riparian vegetation on the mine site. Impacts on vegetation- the proposal involves the clearing of 106 hectares, and impacts on vegetation over a greater area. Greenhouse gas emissions- greenhouse gas emissions associated with the project are huge- increasing the NTs greenhouse gas emissions by about 6% per annum. Poor rehabilitation plan- Mt Grace is basically proposing that the mine pit be left unrehabilitated following the mines life, leaving it to fill up with water and create a lake. This is completely unacceptable in ECNTs view. Poor EIS- the EIS failed to address many of the areas that it was supposed to investigate. The other proposed mine is called the Compass Polymetallic Mine and Processing Facility. This proposed mine is on the lease of the former Rum Jungle uranium mine. Much of the Rum Jungle works would be re-mined if this proposal proceeds. ECNT is extremely concerned about this project. It has the potential to exacerbate existing radiation hazards at Rum Jungle and destroy the albeit limited rehabilitation progress to date at Rum Jungle. This project has been designated a controlled action by the Commonwealth as it is a nuclear action. This means that for it to proceed it would need approval from the Commonwealth Environment Minister. ECNT contracted Dr Gavin Mudd of the University of Queensland to complete our submission on the guidelines for the EIS for this project. To find out more about either of these projects give us a call or email us (ecnt@octa4.net.au) for a copy of our submissions. -Mark Wakeham and Kirsten Blair