I, too, thank the Minister for taking the time to be here and for dragging himself away from canvassing, knocking on doors and shaking sweaty hands on this warm day. I also thank him for his commitment to our area. I concur with the remarks made by two of the three Members who spoke previously. There are serious concerns that the operations under discussion today are quarrying by stealth and not, in fact, gold-mining.

I will speak about the major health concerns involved. I assure the Minister that I will not be using medical terminology, which confuses most people.

Water pollution is an obvious concern. It is our most natural resource, and clean water is a precious commodity. There is a danger that the Foyle River system and the surrounding groundwater will be polluted, resulting in a negative knock-on effect for local agriculture and fishing. There is also the possibility that the polluted water might enter the food chain. Furthermore, there is concern that there is no effective containment of contaminated water. Heavy metals are toxic, and there is a fear that they may be carcinogenic.

High levels of rainfall can cause an overflow and a release of toxins, and there is also a problem of acid rock drainage. There is the suspicion that overflows from the tailings pond ended up in the Creevan Burn during high rainfall, and that was disguised by high flooding and water discoloration.

Metals other than gold are released when rock is crushed, including lead, cadmium, nickel and arsenic, which are all potentially toxic and dangerous. Heavy metals in such unnatural concentrations can pose enormous problems because they will not break down or disappear completely. The presence of toxic metals in effluence and tailings poses a health threat.

There is also a concern for the livestock, wildlife and fish because they will also suffer from metal poisoning if their food or water is contaminated. Human health is at risk through direct and indirect consumption of contaminated products.

All the heavy metals that are released are present in dust and sediment. An open-pit operation, such as that at Cavanacaw, produces a lot of dust, especially in such a windy location. That dust is transmitted easily and poses a danger for surface vegetation, crops, livestock and humans. Pregnant women, the elderly and vulnerable people, especially those who suffer from asthma, are particularly at risk from dust and sediment, and that fact should not be dismissed.

Excavation, rock moving and crushing generate a high level of noise, and that has major ramifications for the health of homeowners in the area, along with domestic livestock and wildlife. The workforce at Cavanacaw should be aware of the increased risks to their health, and those who work in close proximity to toxic chemicals, dust, and extreme noise on a daily basis may well see a deterioration in their health and have long-term health problems — never mind accidents and, in the worst-case scenario, early death. The health of local residents must not be ignored or dismissed, because they can suffer the same negative impacts. However, they face additional problems, such as stress, worry, anxiety, loss of amenities, the devaluation of properties and negative equity. Those problems can cause mental-health issues. Increased levels of traffic must also be taken into account.

I am reliably informed that condition 28 of the planning consent document stipulated that fixed water sprays be installed on the roads to limit dust transmission, but that provision was never implemented. Condition 28 also stipulated that stockpiles of rock should be sown with a range of plants to limit the transmission of dust outside the site boundary. That was not done. Condition 23 stated that ore stockpiles should be retained in a covered area for the same reason, and that has not been done either. Those three planning breaches were confirmed by the Planning Service. No one can have any idea how much toxic dust blew across the fields in that windy location, or how much of that has entered the food chain through crops or cattle and sheep grazing. Environmental health officer David Gillis confirmed that little or no monitoring of the site had ever taken place.

I have been informed that, depending on the Minister’s response, the Committee for the Environment may look into the issue.