We also have a state government that recognises that the cause of the poor air quality readings is not because of mining activities, but because of the amount of exposed land.

Do we now sit back and accept that this is Singleton’s lot or do we continue to push for better mine practices that will reduce the dust?

It was promising to hear that some mine operations chose to cease operations during the peak of the windy weather.

Given that this didn’t happen in the huge dust storm that happend in September 2009, the attitudes about mining impacts appears to be changing.

It is really hard to watch anyone suffer with a respiratory disease but when the cause is known and the effects could be reduced or eliminated through better dust control or less exposure of land, this is a conversation that must continue until it is resolved.

It would be also nice to know the chemical compound of that dust but that’s a question for another day.