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Australia is the lone objector to measures that would speed up the
world-wide phasing out of lead in petrol and other consumer products, according to
Elizabeth O'Brien, National Coordinator of The LEAD Group.
"At the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development,
which concludes in New York on April 28, the Australian delegation, has raised transparent
objections to the proposed additional wording for the decision document, which will be
issued by the Commission", said Ms O'Brien.
"The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) is one of the
outcomes of the Rio Earth Summit of three years ago, which some commentators have
criticised as a continuation of the talkfest. The proposed global phase-out of leaded
petrol, without increasing aromatics, and preferably through the use of biomass ethanol,
is being hailed by NGO observers at the UN, as the first real actionable decision on the
part of participating nations, as opposed to general statements about the environment
unbacked by real commitment."
"This is why the actions of the Australian Ambassador for the
Environment, Penny Wensley, and her team, in raising what are piffling and nit-picking
objections to the statement calling for a phase-down of lead in petrol, are so
disappointing", said Ms O'Brien.
Ms O'Brien said that, as well as petrol, the phase-out would apply to
lead in paint, in food and beverage containers and drinking water, if the Australian
Environment Minister, John Faulkner, can, in the final days of the CSD Meeting, turn
around the growing concern of other nations, that Australia bows to domestic vested
interests on environmental matters.
"It is a great pity that Australia, which acted so decisively at
home in the past - for example, being one of the first countries to legislate for all new
vehicles to run on unleaded petrol after 1986 - should now appear in the international
arena as blocking decisions with such significant implications for public well-being,
particularly that of millions of young children", she said.
Contact: Elizabeth O'Brien ph (02) 9716 0014, fax (02) 9716 9005. ###
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