INVESTIGATIONS surrounding toxic metal fears in Rosebery have ramped up again with both mine owner MMG and the Director of Public Health moving on the issue.
MMG Rosebery's new general manager, John Lamb, announced yesterday the company had commissioned an independent environmental sampling program.
"MMG has worked closely with government agencies and local residents over the past 12 months on this issue ... however, I believe it is important that, as a valued member of the Rosebery community, MMG takes appropriate steps to ensure we all fully understand the situation," Mr Lamb said.
Soil, surface water and dust from company-owned properties, public places and private properties will be screened for a suite of metals, he said, and urged all Rosebery residents to be involved.
The announcement came after a meeting on Monday between lawyers, doctors, the company and the State Government.
Legal firm Slater and Gordon's Peter Long said the firm was representing Rosebery residents who alleged they had been poisoned.
Mr Long said Launceston doctor Andreas Ernst told the meeting that his Rosebery patients were suffering from heavy metal poisoning.
Director of Public Health Roscoe Taylor said the new claims made by the doctor at the meeting would be fully investigated.
"In the past some residents declined some investigations and - for reasons which are still unclear to me - withheld consent for reports to be forwarded to (the Public and Environmental Health Service), and this limited some clinical aspects of our investigation," Dr Taylor said.
"However, the project team investigated the issue thoroughly and was unable to identify any plausible pathways of environmental exposure."
He said the doctor's claims were not being dismissed, but would be thoroughly assessed, possibly utilising the services of independent, national experts on heavy metal poisoning, as was the case with earlier investigations.
Meanwhile, residents Kay Seltitzas and Marsha Stejskal, who left their Rosebery homes fearing poisoning, are planning an appeal against an abatement notice issued by the West Coast Council.
Their properties have become overgrown but they argue that the Health Department had agreed to pay for mowing on their properties.