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A community-funded billboard has been launched in Newcastle as part of a campaign to halt a major expansion proposed for the city's coal export terminal.
Port Waratah Coal Services plans to build a fourth coal loader, known as T4, on Kooragang Island.
The new billboard has been erected on the Pacific Highway and features the slogan, "Stop T4: No more coal dust", while showing a child using an assisted breathing machine.
John Hayes from the Coal Terminal Action Group says there will be serious health impacts if T4 goes ahead.
"We're trying to protect the community against further air pollution from new coal activities, which will cause health problems," he said.
"We're not trying to close down every mine in Australia, we're not trying to close down every mine in the Hunter.
"We're talking about a significant expansion of current activities and we're trying to slow that down."
Mr Hayes says he hopes the sign will raise awareness about the potential health risks from the proposed expansion.
"All the research shows that there's a lot more asthma up here than in many other parts of Australia," he said.
"We know already that there are very significant problems with pollution in the air in the Hunter Valley and at Newcastle, and such an expansion will only magnify those problems."
Topics: air-pollution, coal, newcastle-2300, muswellbrook-2333
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