Millmerran one of top polluters in Queensland

MILLMERRAN is one of the most polluted areas in Queensland, a new report from the Australian Conservation Foundation reveals.

In a report called Dirty Truth, released last week, the foundation analysed pollution data from the National Pollutant Inventory. NPI data is focused on emissions generated by industry, not factors such as road traffic, and looked at pollutants such as carbon dioxide and carbon sulphide.

Millmerran has on average a total yearly emission rate of 46,374,281.26kg, the eighth highest in Queensland.

Toowoomba’s emission rate was 294,573.5424kg.

Highfields had the lowest emissions rate for the region at 0.0000331082kg.

Across the wider Darling Downs region, Nanango eclipsed Millmerran for the top polluter spot with an emission rate of 61,045,503.15kg.

Brigalow, the third top polluting area, had an emissions rate of 22,071,950.35kg.

The top three polluting areas in the wider Darling Downs region, Nanango, Millmerran and Brigalow, are all home to coal-fired power stations - Tarong, Millmerran and Kogan Creek.

ACF economics program manager Matthew Rose said 90 per cent of polluting facilities in Australia were in postcodes with low to middle weekly household incomes.

“Poorer Australians who live around mines or in the shadows of coal-fired power stations are unfairly bearing the burden of pollution,” he said.