DIRTY DEEDS: A Coal train passing through Fairfield railway station. Picture ... - Herald Sun

DIRTY DEEDS: A Coal train passing through Fairfield railway station. Picture: Mark Calleja Source: The Courier-Mail

INVESTIGATIONS by the State Government into coal dust pollution from the Port of Brisbane will include further air-quality testing.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection announced its investigation this week in response to complaints about off-site dust pollution from the coal stockpile at the port site operated by Queensland Bulk Handling. But the mining company which owns the facility, New Hope Coal, has no plans for dust-suppression systems at the port.

The fresh investigation comes as a top Queensland physician with a background in environmental and occupational medicine raised concerns about "low-dose, chronic exposure" to coal dust.

Dr Andrew Jeremijenko - a Mater Private Emergency doctor who has treated numerous coal workers over 20 years - said the State Government was not being honest about the potential harm of tiny coal particles.

Last week, the Queensland Resources Council announced three Darling Downs miners - New Hope Coal, Peabody Energy and Yancoal - would start veneering coal wagons using the urban rail corridor next year. It said the process, which coats wagons in a sticky polymer, could reduce dust by 50 to 90 per cent in Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba.

New Hope said it would wait until late March to start veneering, despite experts saying the process could be up and running in weeks with a minimal infrastructure investment.

Dust-suppression experts say the problem could be solved in a month with a $500,000-$1 million commitment.

Dr Jeremijenko said while short-term, high exposure to coal dust caused health problems for people with sensitive respiratory systems, others could be harmed by regular inhalation of minor doses over a period of years.

Peabody and Yancoal did not respond to questions yesterday about their plans.

EHP will review monitoring information provided by Queensland Bulk Handling and data from air-quality stations at Wynnum and Pinkenba.