Breaking news via [link to www.news.com.au]

# AAP # August 11, 2011 4:16PM

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A CHEMICAL that can cause skin irritations and potentially cancer escaped from a plant near homes in the Newcastle area, the NSW government says.

Plumes of hexavalent chromium from the Orica ammonia plant at Kooragang Island escaped at 6pm (AEST) for 30 minutes on Monday night.

About 70 homes in the nearby beachside suburb Stockton were exposed to the chemical, but the NSW government says it was not notified until mid-morning on Tuesday.

NSW Health chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Thursday the chemical had the potential to cause skin irritations, respiratory problems, and if the exposure was long term - cancer.

The plant had come on line on Monday after being shut down for some months for maintenance.

So far, there have been no reports of illness.

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The NSW Office of the Environment and Heritage was not notified about the incident until about mid-morning on Tuesday.

The office's director of specialised regulation Craig Lamberton said that by law companies have to notify the government within 24 hours of an incident.


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Australia was always a safe place. I have always followed breaking news stories since 1995, when I first had cable tv. The media used to care, and tell us exactly what was going on. Nothing is safe anymore! Serious for those people in the local area, but what if it had of been a major explosion of this stuff, and the toxic cloud wider? The Aussie MSM are "breaking" this story tonight, Thursday 11 Aug at 5.17pm, when the incident occurred on Monday, and the EaH (air polution authorities) weren't told till Tuesday??

Wondering, always just watching.

stay safe!