Death In Venice-Dioxins

[The.Greenbase@gb.greenpeace.org]

>> "DEATH IN VENICE"


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                    GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> "DEATH IN VENICE"

ROME, Italy May 3, 1995 (GP) Greenpeace's report denounces record
levels of dioxins and other cancerogenic compounds in the Venice
Lagoon.

The level of contamination by dioxins  of  the petrochemical
complex of Porto Marghera near Venice, is double to those  found
in the river Rhine, considered one of the  most contaminated
ecosystems in the world, and from 10 to 100 times higher than the
contaminated areas of northern Europe.

In a press conference held today in Rome, Greenpeace Italy has
presented their last report "Death in Venice", on the industrial
pollution of the Venice Lagoon. The report was released on the
eve of the United Nation Environment Programme's meeting to
review the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea
against Pollution from Land-Based Sources (LBS Protocol), of the
Barcelona Convention, opening tomorow in Siracuse (Italy), on the
initiative of the Italian government.

The report is based on samples of surface sediments taken by
Greenpeace near the discharges of ENICHEM CVM production, .where
dioxins levels were found at 54.000 ng/Kg.

The alarm on the high level of Lagoon contamination was
additionally confirmed by two recent researches undertaken by the
Institute "Mario Negri" and by the National Health Institute.
Both studies found the highest dioxin levels in the sediments of
the  Grand Canal. " However, Greenpeace's samples showed that
these levels are a 100 times higher near the petrochemical plant"
- said Fabrizio Fabbri of Greenpeace.

Beside dioxins, other toxic and persistent substances were
detected in the  Lagoon  such  as  PCBs  (polychlorobyphenils)
and  HCB (esachlorobenzene), which tend to enter into the food
chain and concentrate in mother's milk and transfer to the
placenta. "Newborn and babies are those most at risk. In
addition, there is a growing conflict between the tourist and
fishery industries and the activities of the petrochemical plant.
These effects could be avoided by applying clean production
processes, most of which are already available - added Fabrizio
Fabbri.

" The Italian government has proposed to amend the LBS Protocol
in order  to introduce the elimination of toxic,  persistent  and
bioccumulative compounds by the year 2005. However, industry has
activated a strong lobby against this proposal. Greenpeace urges
the Italian government to strongly defend its position and to
confirm the elimination target at the meeting in Siracuse" said
Domitilla Senni from Greenpeace.
In support of the Italian proposal, over 150 members of
Parliament have signed in the past weeks a parliamentary motion.


For more information please contact:

Fabrizio Fabbri
Giuseppe Onufrio

Greenpeace Italy   Tel. 39/6/ 5780479
           Fax. 39/6/5783531



BACKGROUND INFORMATION PAPER

              Death In Venice

              Greenpeace Italy
               3 May 1995


The state of health of the Venice Lagoon is near to total
collapse due to  the presence of high concentrations of dioxins
and  other cancerogenic  compounds,  mainly originating  from
the  Enichem petrochemical plant and other industries of Porto
Marghera.

Today Greenpeace Italy presented their latest report "Death in
Venice" on  the levels of dioxins and other carcinogenic
substances in the Venice Lagoon, at a press conference held in
Rome. The report is issued on the eve of the meeting which begins
tomorrow in Siracuse (Italy) to discuss the revision of the
Protocol on the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against
Pollution from Land Based Sources (LBS Protocol), signed 15 years
ago by the Contracting Parties  of the Barcelona Convention.


1. Pollution of the Venice Lagoon by dioxins and furans is among
the world's worst.

Greenpeace has taken samples of surface sediments near to the
point  where the Bretella canal flows into the Rana harbour. The
last kilometer of the canal flows through the sadly well-known
Enichem plant which produces CVM (vynil chloride monomer) and
where other chlorine manufacturers are also to be found.

According to the Greenpeace samples analysed by the Exeter
University Laboratory (UK), in these sediments the levels of
contamination by various types of dioxins are 15 times higher
than the maximum legal limits permitted for non-agricultural land
(where the tollerance levels allowed are higher). The values
detected are twice those of the worst encountered in the River
Rhein and as much as 5 to 50 times higher than levels found in
the Great Lakes which are heavily contaminated by industrial
discharges. According to internationally adopted calculation
procedures the levels of contamination in terms of TCDD (the
Seveso dioxine), are 10 to 100 times higher than those found in
the contaminated industrial areas of Northern Europe .

The emergency regarding the pollution of the Lagoon has recently
been underlined by two research studies undertaken by the "Mario
Negri" Institute of Milan and by the national Health Institute
(Istituto Superiore di Sanita'). Both have shown that the highest
concentrations of dioxins are to be found in the sediments of the
Grand Canal in Venice, which are neverthless 100 times lower than
the levels of contamination observed in the samples taken by
Greenpeace  near the petro-chemical plant.

Overall, pollution levels in the Venice Lagoon are amongst the
world's highest.

The heavy presence of dioxins represents only one aspect of the
environmental  collapse of the Lagoon. Other highly  toxic
substances are also present, that like dioxins are persistent and
bioccumulative. These substances enter the food chain through
fish products and as such they represent a major health and
environmental risk.

2. A deadly cocktail of cancerogenic substances

Polychlorobyphenil (PCB) represent an additional source of toxic
and persistent substances of industrial origin. The highest
sediment pollution levels are found in the Grand Canal and near
Porto Marghera. In these sites certain PCBs have similar toxicity
characteristics comparable to those of dioxins. According to
Mario Negri and to the Health Institute, the levels of
contamination of the Grand Canal  are 30 to 80 times higher than
those discovered in other sample sites.

The levels of PCB are extremely high in the mussels bred in the
Lagoon; the minimum values here are higher than the maximum
levels found in a highly polluted area of Greece.

Other highly toxic substances found in the Lagoon are chlorinated
pesticides, DDT, DDE, and HCB (HexaChloroBenzene) . The presence
of HCB in the Lagoon is due to the production of many chlorinated
compounds, of which some are solvents and pesticides. The highest
levels are to be found near Porto Marghera.


In the sediments tested from the Grand Canal are found the
highest levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), a class
of compunds that are toxic and cancerogenic. They originate from
oil discharges and from incomplete combustion of petrol and
carbon products. In the Grand Canal the quantities of PAH
discovered are largely caused  by maritime traffic whilst those
of Porto Marghera are mainly due to oil discharges. Levels of
pollution discovered in the Grand Canal by "Mario Negri" are from
15 to 100 times higher than those of other city ports. The
sediment from the Grand Canal holds a concentration of benzo
pyrene (the most cancerogenic PAH) from 120 to 400 times higher
than other sites in the Lagoon.


3. Human Health Consequences: Embryos and Infants most at risk

These forms of pollution are particularly dangerous for their
capacity to enter into biological cycles and for their tendency
to accumulate in the food chain.
Human beings, the final link in the food chain, assimilate these
pollutants through contaminated foods, such as fish products,
milk and meat. Those particularly at risk are embryos and infants
which take their nutrition from the placenta and mother's milk as
many of these pollutants are transfered into the mother's milk
and into the placenta.


Dioxins: a class of compounds which have different forms of
toxicity with embryotoxic, mutagenic and cancerogenic properties.
Even at lower concentrations for which the formation of neoplasia
are observed, these cause: interference in the sexual
differentiation of newly born infants, malformation, atrophy of
the testicles, reduction in  spermatogenesis and in the
concentration of  spermatozoids, reduction in immunitary systems,
which can last as long as ten years after exposure. According to
several researchers the dioxins could activate the HIV virus,
responsible for AIDS.

Infants born from mothers exposed to dioxins have shown
neurophysical disfunctions in the frontal lobes and in the
thyroid. According to a recent study by the EPA in the United
States, the risks caused by exposure to dioxins of reproductive
functions are much higher than those believed until now- just one
billionth of a gramme is sufficient to induce these alterations.
The production of CVM at Porto Marghera is responsible for the
releasing of 15 grammes of dioxine each year.

PCB: is a class of compounds that is strongly neurotoxic,
teratogenic (capable of altering embryonic development) , alters
the endocrinal system, and can also reduce immunity. It induces
ipotonia and neurological alteration in new born infants, slows
psychomotor development, reduces visive memory capacity, alters
reproductive functions.
PCBs, like the other substances mentioned, contaminates mother's
milk. At birth the concentration in the newly born is comparable
to those in the mother whilst 6 to 9 months later the infant
suffers  a concentration four times higher than that of the
mother. The PCBs are not filtered by the placenta: human feotuses
are four times more sensitive to alteration induced by PCB than
those of rodents or apes. The die-off of circa 4000 dolphins in
the Mediterranean in 1991 was attributed to the weakening of
their immunity defences allowing a fatal viral attack to destroy
them. High concentrations of PCB were found in their tissues.

HCB: is a compound which has cancerogenic properties,  induces
alteration  of  the immunitary and male  reproductive  systems,
malformations and abortions, reduction of birth weight, slowing
of growth, changes in the testicles and tyrhoid. Breast-fed
infants are exposed to doses 10 times higher than those of adults
for which reason, in proportion to their weight, their exposure
is 2-300 times that of the mother.
Elderly and post-menopause women are also highly at risk because
of changes to the mechanism of homeostasi of calcium.


PAH: many compounds of this category present a strong
teratogenicity and in some cases, as for benzopyrene, are feared
cancerogenics. PAH are also persistent and bioaccumulative
substances.


4. Greenpeace Demands