A pulp mill converts wood chips into thick fibre board which can be shipped to a paper mill to make paper. However, for this process to occur the environment will suffer. Pulp mills use large amounts of chemicals to make thick fibre board and once those chemicals are used, the waste known as effluent, is simply dumped into rivers, estuaries and the oceans. Gunns LTD, the developer of the mill, says the amount of effluent being discharged from the mill is not only diluted, but also complies with environmental laws. However, even after complying with strict environmental laws, the mill will still dump thousands of tonnes of toxic materials into Bass Strait every day. The result is a major threat to aquatic life, tourism and the fishing industry.
Tasmania's fishing industry, famous for its world-class fish, oysters, abalone and lobster contributes over $170 million yearly to the Tasmanian economy through tourism and exports. By the year 2020, if the proposed pulp mill is built, over 300 million tonnes of effluent will have been pumped directly into Bass Strait. That's 25 million tonnes a year! This is not only a considerable problem for people who rely on the fishing industry for a living, but also a serious health risk for consumers who will be eating deadly seafood contaminated with organo-chlorides, which are some of the most toxic substances known to science.
The impact on the Tasmanian fishing industry will be irreversible. It is predicted that the greatest impact will be through fish contamination and resulting job losses in the fishing and tourism industry. This will directly affect the Tasmanian economy.
The short term effects of this mill will see destruction of native forest to accommodate plantation, but the long term effects will be devastating to an environment that supports many rare and treasured native animals. Destruction of this wilderness and pollution will see a decline in tourism with rivers and oceans becoming toxic sewers.
