The Wire

A new study by the Australian National University examined airborne contamination for the first time and found that the iconic lakes within the Tasmanian World Heritage Area have been so heavily impacted by West Coast mining that their metal contamination readings are among the worst in the world.

Specifically, the six lakes studied within the area, including Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain, have dangerous levels of certain metals such as lead and arsenic that exceed the highest allowable levels in Australian sediment guidelines,  raising questions about what to do next and who holds the responsibility to address past wrongdoings.