Hunter residents will encounter a cocktail of health problems including cancer, asthma and heart disease if the coal mining industry continues to expand across the region, a leading researcher has warned.
World-renowned health expert Dr Dick van Steenis spoke about the impacts of open cut mining and coal-fired power stations during a public meeting at Maitland Leagues Club yesterday hosted by the Hunter Environment Lobby.
“I visited the Hunter Valley 15 months ago and things are getting much worse,” Dr van Steenis said.
“I am appalled at the very dated health standards causing much unnecessary death and disease in the Hunter.
“If things keep going the way they are, asthma rates in the Hunter will increase, there will be more people suffering from infection and there will be more cases of autism.
“The autism rate in Singleton at the moment is one in 15.”
Dr van Steenis, a retired British doctor, has also predicted an increase in low birth rate babies, higher rates of different cancers and heart disease.
During his visit in 2009, Dr van Steenis also observed that some parts of the Hunter had death rates 37 per cent above the national average.
Dr van Steenis has spent the past 15 years researching the health effects of power stations, rubbish incinerators and open cut coal mines.
He has also successfully campaigned to stop the development of a series of new open cut mines in the United Kingdom.
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