Magellan Metals Pty Ltd believes the state government's response to a parliamentary inquiry report into the cause and extent of lead pollution in the Esperance area was "fair and balanced".
Magellan said in a statement the government's response to the parliamentary inquiry report recommendations was fair and balanced and provided a practical way forward for all parties affected by the pollution at Esperance.
Magellan said it was committed to maintaining its longstanding policy of co-operation and transparency in its relationships with stakeholders - including the community of Esperance and regulators.
The company said it continued to seek meaningful and appropriate ways in which it could make a positive contribution to the community of Esperance and welcomed the Government's projection of March/April 2008 for the removal of the concentrate currently being held in a storage shed at the Port of Esperance.
The action already taken by Government agencies as a result of the inquiry, or in the process of being implemented, would lead to stronger systems for the handling and transport of heavy metal concentrates in WA, and for the monitoring of those systems, Magellan said
Planning and infrastructure minister Alannah MacTiernan said last week that the failings of a number of government agencies had created a "most regrettable situation", but it had acted quickly and effectively to remediate the health of the Esperance community and their environment.
Further testing has revealed that six children, or 7.5 per cent of those who initially showed elevated blood lead levels, do not meet acceptable international levels of 5ug/dL or below.
The government is working with the individual families to identify the source of lead in their blood and whether or not it orginates from the Magellan mine.
