Health Department (DHHS)
Public
& Environmental Health
UPDATE: 19/7/2009 - Environmental smoke does not get a mention any longer.
DHHS - Organisational chart - see where PEH fits in.
"Our role is to
monitor the health of the Tasmanian population, and put in place programs to protect or
promote health."
"We do not have any regulatory role in relation to environmental smoke."
(New website; as at 17/11/2008 there is not even an air quality program).
Public and Environmental Health do not have any regulatory control over smoke
from planned burns.
I feel this suits them.
Like the Tasmanian Fire Service, they sit in on the odd strategy meeting but in actual
fact their views do not even have to be taken into account.
The Tasmanian State Government acknowledges this smoke can
reduce the quality of the air we breathe, and
they also acknowledge the small particles can be inhaled deeply into the lungs.
They also want you to stay indoors where the air quality can be actually 3-5times worse
than it is outdoors on a smoke free day. And they want you to do this all Autumn while
forestry burns.
What they don't tell you is, that unless the building is fitted
with ABSOLUTE FILTERS, you are breathing the same smoky air as outside, and possibly 3-5
times worse anyway. Buildings are rarely fitted with absolutes, and they are almost never
fitted to homes.
No wonder the following document was never headed or signed. It gives out misleading and
wrongful information under the circumstances.
Click to read the Tasmania
Health Department's Answer to our deliberate smoke
problem.
Why is the Environment Minister handing out Health Department brochures?
Read the updated version following
discussions with PEHS in July 2008.
"Action should be taken by others where possible to minimise exposure
of the public to smoke. "
Forestry comes before Health and the Environment in Tasmania!
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) “there is no safe level of fine particle pollution.”
If your doctor asks you, "have you ever smoked", answer "yes".
Why isn't Tasmania's forestry smoke included on the National Pollution Inventory (NPI) ?
And remember, you now qualify to take part in :-
"Why so many people have lung and heart
disease in Tasmania -
A future Government-funded research program."
Read what the Health Department (DHHS) has to say.
22.4.2010 - Dr Roscoe
Taylor, Tasmanian Director of Public Health issues smoke warning.