PARENTS are threatening to pull their kids out of a school near a proposed sand mine amid fears dust exposure will cause respiratory diseases and cancer. 

Around 30 protesters gathered in front of Peace Lutheran College at Kamerunga yesterday campaigning against the PRP planning proposal, lodged on behalf of Mark Savina.

Health experts and parents have condemned the plan as a potential cause of cancer for the school, which houses 520 prep to year 12 students, 80 of which live in four boarding houses on school grounds.

The school, which is about 350m from the extraction site at Lower Freshwater and Fairweather roads, also has a kindergarten which caters for about 100 toddlers.

Cairns respiratory specialist Stephen Vincent said exposure to dust caused silicosis, a lung disease from inhaling crystalline silica dust which can lead to lung cancer.

He said children were more at risk of contracting the disease and claimed the progressive nature of silicosis meant lungs were affected long after exposure to dust.

"Silicosis causes scaring of the lung and that can lead to lung cancer," he said.

Jane Bevan said she would pull her 11-year-old daughter, Delila, from the school if the proposal was given the green light.

"If this sand mining goes ahead, I would be definitely moving her from this school," she said.

Cairns Regional Council will accept submissions until October 16, with the sand mine action group already handing out more than 7000 pamphlets.

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