FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
London--05 February 1996--In welcoming today's decision to dismantle Shell's North Sea gas rig, the Leman BK, on land Greenpeace today called on the UK Government to rule out dumping at sea for all oil installations and abandon the so-called "case by case" approach.
"The issue at stake here is whether we live in a throwaway society" says Greenpeace Campaign Director Chris Rose. "The public knows it is wrong to dump old cars in the village pond - and it's wrong for the Government to let the oil industry treat the sea as its rubbish dump. The UK Government must rule out dumping at sea and abandon the so-called case-by-case approach."
Shell has confirmed it will dismantle the first of the deep North Sea installations -- the Brent Spar -- on land. In Norway, contracts have now been let for the dismantling of the North East Frigg field -- entirely on land. Countries surrounding the North East Atlantic last year banned the dumping of oil installations at sea -- but the UK Government would not sign onto the ban.
"If, after his failed attempt to dump the Brent Spar, Mr Eggar now licences the sinking of another platform, he will insult British as well as international public opinion. His "case by case" policy has been rejected by the British and European public and Greenpeace. The sea should be for saving - not for dumping".
Opinion Leader Research polled the British public in January (1) and received a clear message from the public: the sea should not be used as a dumping ground.
Greenpeace also pointed out that in December 1995 a report for the oil industry group UKOOA (UK Offshore Operators Association) noted that the `best environmental option' for decommissioned steel installations is to bring them ashore (2). A consultants report for Greenpeace found that over 95% of the Brent Spar could be recycled (3).
Contact: Cindy Baxter Greenpeace Communications ++44 171 833 0600
(1): The poll, carried out by Opinion Leader Research in January 1996 for Greenpeace and released today, shows that 74% of British public aware of the Brent Spar controversy believes that Greenpeace should continue its campaign to stop dumping of oil rigs. 57% believe that it should not have been dumped in the Atlantic.
2) "An Assessment of the Environmental Impacts of Decommissioning Options for Oil and Gas Structures in the UK North Sea", Prepared for UKOOA. Written by Auris Environmental. Page 10-14
3) "A Case Study of Onshore Decommissioning of North Sea Oil Structures - The Brent Spar", commissioned by Greenpeace. Written by Jay Rutovitz. Produced as evidence to the House of Lords Trade and Industry Sub Committee on Decommissioning, October 1995.