Environmentalists are calling for a moratorium on coal seam gas mining in the NSW, after toxic chemicals were detected in the Pilliga state forest six months after a toxic spill.
Soil and water samples taken by the Wilderness Society showed high levels of a number of metals, in the wake of a June 2011 saline water spill at Santos's coal seam gas project near Narrabri, in northern NSW.
The samples showed lead at five times the acceptable drinking water standard, arsenic at twice and chromium at 3.74 times the acceptable standards - a toxic cocktail the Wilderness Society says could still be leaking from the gas project.
"Our tests of the Pilliga spill have revealed for the first time just how toxic this coal seam gas water is - it is a cocktail of heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, plus salts and petrochemicals," Naomi Hogan of The Wilderness Society said in a statement.
"The test results also raise concerns that it is not a one-off spill and that the coal seam gas water may still be leaking into the environment, given the high concentrations of semi-volatile petrochemicals recorded.
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"The NSW government should shut down the Santos operation in the Pilliga, the last great temperate woodland left in NSW, and implement an immediate moratorium on coal seam gas mining."
The 10,000 litre saline spill was reported by mining giant Santos last month, despite the accident occurring in June 2011, when the CSG project was operated by Eastern Star Gas. Santos took over Eastern Star Gas in November, and a subsequent review of its records identified the pipeline failure.
Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham has called on the NSW government to back his Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill when parliament resumes next week.
"It is frightening and reckless that high levels of salt and heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, have been released into the environment," Mr Buckingham said in a statement.
"Barry O'Farrell has a chance to act when the Greens bill for a 12 month moratorium on coal seam gas comes before the parliament next week."
NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson reiterated his calls for the government to suspend all CSG exploration licences in NSW.
NSW Minister for Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher said the department was conducting its own testing of soil samples to determine what, if any, contamination had occurred.
