DANGEROUS WATERS IN HONIARA HARBOUR
Quoting the Solomon Star newspaper – 5 February 2018
A local scientist has warned that the Honiara harbour and its shorelines are unsafe for recreational and fishing activities.
Dickson Boboria issued the warning ahead of his doctoral research paper, which will be published later this year.
Mr Boboria conducted his research within the Honiara harbour from White River to Red Beach, around the Ranadi dump site area, as well as the Gold Ridge tailing dam and downstream Metapona River.
“The Honiara harbour is heavily contaminated with toxic metals that exceeded the world standard,” he said.
“These include Cadmium, Lead, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic III, and Iron,” Mr Boboria added.
“These metals are a threat to both marine and human lives.
“They can cause cancer and other health related diseases or mental illness if people continue to use the salt water and its resources.
“Fish that were caught in this water are not safe anymore. They have been contaminated and not safe for human consumption.”
Mr Boboria added that seeing scabby like scratches on children in Honiara now is the effect of swimming or even eating fish from the Honiara harbour.
“Even the fish in the market or coastal areas along the harbour are no longer safe as they use the same salt water to wash them.”
Mr Boboria said that the main source of the these heavy metals are the sunken ships under the Iron Bottom Sound, the Ranadi dumpsite, the Ranadi Industrial zone, as well as hospital wastes.
In addition, he said household wastes along the Mataniko river as well as wastes from people living along the Honiara coastline contribute to the situation.
Mr Boboria recommended that the Honiara City Council and other relevant agencies to look at ways of relocating the Ranadi dumpsite.
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