Toxic Chlor Along Dutch & N Sea Coastlines

[The.Greenbase@gb.greenpeace.org]

GREENPEACE DISCOVERS TOXIC CHLORINE CHEMICALS ALONG DUTCH AND

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                   GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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GREENPEACE DISCOVERS TOXIC CHLORINE CHEMICALS ALONG DUTCH AND
NORTH SEA COASTLINES

ROTTERDAM, MONDAY, 15 May 1995 (GP)--Greenpeace has found
alarmingly high levels of a highly toxic organochlorine
chemical in sediments along the eastern edge of the North Sea
in the Wadden See.

The chemicals, Chlorinated Paraffins, which have never been
measured before in the Wadden See, were found in sediments
from Rotterdam at the mouth of the River Rhine and in mud
flats from the Wadden See at Kaiser Wilhelm and Den Helder.
Contaminated sediments were also found in Hamburg Harbour and
at the mouth of the Elbe river in Germany.

The results were announced from the Greenpeace vessel Beluga
in Rotterdam Harbour. Greenpeace divers, with the use of a
crane have filled up 4 large barrels with contaminated
sediment. These barrels will be transported on the Beluga and
returned to the multi national chemical company Hoechst, the
only producer of Chlorinated Paraffins in Germany. Their head
office is on the Rhine River upstream of Rotterdam Harbour. A
large banner on the Beluga reads "HOECHST POISONS NORTH SEA".


The samples were collected by Greenpeace divers in March 1995
and were analysed by the German Environment Protection Agency.
Chlorinated Paraffins are known to be toxic, highly persistent
and can accumulate to high levels in the tissues of animals.
They can cause cancer and can damage the liver and kidneys and
the reproductive systems of animals. They are known to be
toxic to marine life.

The levels found by Greenpeace give cause for concern because:

* Chlorinated Paraffins were found in the sediments at levels
similar or even greater then the classical chlorine chemical
poisons such as PCB's, DDT and Hexachlorobenzene

* The upper sediments were more contaminated than the lower
sediments indicating that this is a current and increasing
problem

* Despite recent intense monitoring and scientific research by
North Sea Governments into pollution of the North Sea these
chemicals have not been previously detected at the levels
found by Greenpeace

Chlorinated Paraffins are used as plasticisers and fire
retardants mainly for PVC products and as binding agents in
coatings, textiles and varnishes. They are also found in
paints, used in cutting oils in the metal industry and in
leather production.

These chemicals reach the sea through direct industrial
discharges or sewage discharges into rivers. Diffuse pollution
from road run-off, drains and contaminated land are the other
major pathways these chemicals enter the North Sea.

The Greenpeace findings come less than a month before North
Sea Governments meet to discuss the health of the North Sea at
the 4th North Sea Conference in Esbjerg, Denmark on June 7-9.
There is already strong disagreement on whether urgent new
measures are required to eliminate toxic chemicals from the
sea. There is currently no agreement to phase out the
production of Chlorinated Paraffins. The UK and France are
particularly opposed to any ban on these chemicals.

EuroChlor, the chlorine industry federation for Europe, is
working hard to block any ban on these chemicals and other
chlorine chemicals at the 4th North Sea Conference. Instead it
is arguing that voluntary agreements between Governments and
industry are needed to control only some of the uses of toxic
chemicals.

"Greenpeace is demanding that North Sea Governments commit
themselves to phasing out toxic Chlorinated Paraffins and all
other dangerous chemicals that are poisoning the North Sea"
said Tim Birch, Greenpeace's North Sea Campaigner.

"Governments have put industry in the driving seat when it
comes to North Sea environmental policy. When Shell recently
wanted to dump the Brent Spar oil platform full of toxic waste
in the sea the UK Government gave it the green light to dump.
Now that EuroChlor wants to carry on producing and dumping
toxic chemicals into the North Sea, the response from
governments has been : go ahead"  said Tim Birch.


The 3 main chemical companies producing Chlorinated Paraffins
in Europe are ICI in the UK (50,000 tonnes), Caffaro in Italy
and Hoechst in Germany (19,300 tonnes). 150,000 tonnes of
Chlorinated Paraffins are produced annually throughout Europe.


NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Greenpeace Occupation of the Shell oil rig the Brent
Spar in the North Sea is now in its 16th day. Greenpeace is
protesting about Shell's plans to dump the rig in the sea as
it contains over 130 tonnes of toxic and radioactive waste.

2. Further information is available including fact sheet and
table of results from:
Manfred Krautter (on the Beluga) tel: 0171 2442521
Tim Birch, ++44 1433 651 776
or Desley Mather Greenpeace Communications tel: UK 171 833
0600
3. For more information on obtaining footage and photographs,
please contact Greenpeace Germany ++49 40 311 86 429 (428)