Greenpeace Exposes POPs Hotspots

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

GREENPEACE EXPOSES HOTSPOTS

MONTREAL, July 3, 1998- As governments concluded the first
meeting of the International Negotiating Committee to establish
a global treaty on persistent organic pollutants (POPS)
Greenpeace issued a call for immediate action on severely
contaminated areas or "hotspots" around the world

A list of POPs hotspots was delivered to the United Nations
Environmental Program documenting  environmental disaster areas
in Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America.

"These harmful pollutants contaminate food and accumulate in
people's bodies in every region of the world," said Jack
Weinberg, Greenpeace Senior Toxics campaigner. "By agreeing to
start negotiating this global treaty, governments finally
acknowledge that this is a serious problem that requires
action."

Negotiating countries have agreed to develop a plan of action to
reduce and eliminate twelve of the world's most dangerous
chemical pollutants: dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, heptachlor,
toxaphene, mirex, and hexachlorobenzene. They also agreed to
develop a procedure to expand this list beyond the initial
twelve.

These harmful pollutants last a long time in the environment,
contaminate food, and are passed from mother to child in the
womb and through mother's milk. They have been associated with
a range of health problems that may show up in the young child,
or may only appear after the child becomes an adult. These
include cancers; learning disabilities and behavior
abnormalities; immune system changes; reproductive system
disorders; and more.

The list of POPs hotspots Greenpeace presented to the United
Nations Environmental Programme include examples from Pakistan,
Nepal, Bengladesh, The Philippines, Japan, Australia, Czech
Republic, Russia, Turkey, United Kngdom, Brazil, Canada and the
United States. These are just a portion of the POPs hotspots
Greenpeace has been investigating around the world.

In the Russian city of Dzerzhinsk, soil samples were found with
dioxin levels 1,880 times higher than is permissible level in
Russia.  

The Malir pesticide stockpile in Pakistan, one of the largest
storage sites for obsolete and date-expired pesticides, is
located just 150 meters from a school.  

Homebush Bay in Sydney, Australia  -- near the 2000 Olympics
site - is polluted with dioxin at a site abandoned by Union
Carbide twenty years ago.        

Citizens of Convent, Louisiana, in the "Cancer Alley" region of
the United States are blocking construction of a new plant to
produce polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC) because of dioxin
concerns.

"Clean up action must start now on these and other POPs hotspots
around the world," said Weinberg. "Polluters must take the
responsibility, and must change products and practices so that
POPs are no longer produced or released to the environment 

Greenpeace is the leading organization which uses peaceful and
creative activism to protect the  world's environment.

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org

INTERNATIONAL POPS HOTSPOTS LIST

Bangladesh

Old DDT Plant
Hotspot: A shutdown DDT plant and factory site in Chittagong,
Bangladesh Issue: An inoperational DDT factory built in the
1960s and shut down in the late 1980s is in an advanced state of
disrepair. The factory site, which was visited by Greenpeace
investigators in May 1998, contained one warehouse used to store
DDT and DDT-containing sludge lying in the open. The warehouse
was said to have a stockpile of 220 tons of DDT. However,
Greenpeace verified the factory management's claims that only
about 15 tons remained in packing. The warehouse floor,
particularly in the upper story, had more than one-inch of DDT.
Given the conditions of storage and the plant, the factory
complex could remain a reservoir of DDT and derivatives for a
long time to come if remediation efforts are not carried out. 

For more information, contact: 
Nityanand Jayaraman, Greenpeace International               
Telfax: +91 11 4310651
Email: nity@del3.vsnl.net.in

Japan

The Teshima Tragedy

Hotspot: Teshima, a small island off the coast of Japan, with a
population of 1500. Issue: More than 500,000 tons of hazardous
wastes were illegally dumped by waste disposal company Teshima
Sogo Kanko Kaihatsu on the island over a period of 17 years. The
Police stopped the dumping in 1991, but the damage had been
done. At 39 nanograms/gram, the dioxin content of the waste is
sufficient cause for alarm. Analysis conducted by the local
government indicates clear signs of leaching of dioxins from the
waste to the marine environment. The site is also known to
contain polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), trichloroethylene,
organochlorine contaminants and mercury. Traditional agriculture
and fisheries have been disrupted since the dumping began and
the residents have been fighting for full remediation of the
site. Current estimates place clean up costs at 20 billion yen. 
For more information, contact: 
Ayako Sekine, Greenpeace Japan 
Email: toxics.japan@dialb.greenpeace.org

Nepal
Poisons in Paradise
Hotspot: Stockpiles of obsolete imported/donated pesticides in
Amlekhgunj and Kathmandu Issue: More than 70 tons of date
expired pesticides, all imported, and are stored in seven known
locations around Nepal. The largest stockpile in Amlekhgunj
contains nearly 50 tons of pesticides including Endrin,
Organomercury seed dressing, DDT dust, Lindane granules, BHC
dust, Chlordane dust, 2,4-D wettable powder and other
unidentified organochlorines. Nepal, a darling of the donors,
has received most of these pesticides in the form of aid. At
least two containers of dieldrin at the Kathmandu stockpile had
"American Consulate, Calcutta" markings on it. The Amlekhgunj
stockpile is currently housed in a warehouse that is adjacent to
the playfield of a village school and is located within the
residential area of the village. 
For more information, contact: 
Nityanand Jayaraman, Greenpeace International               
Telfax: +91 11 4310651
Email: nity@del3.vsnl.net.in

The Philippines
US Military's Toxic Legacy Exposed
Hotspot: Former US military base -- Clark Air Base -- Pampanga
Province, the Philippines Issue: Recent environmental studies
commissioned by the Philippine Government have confirmed that
sites within the former US military base is severely
contaminated with persistent organic pollutants such as
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Dieldrin, Aldrin, Chlordane,
Benzene Hexa Chloride and Heptachlor. The contamination is a
result of US military activities in the Philippine base since
World War II. One site within the base recorded 7800 parts per
million of PCB. The study reports widespread dieldrin
contamination in the groundwater in wells (some of which
continue to be used as sources of drinking water). A municipal
landfill, near a residential area in the town of Mabalacat, was
found severely contaminated with dieldrin, BHC and Aldrin as
result of the hazardous material dumped there by the US
military. Newspaper reports in the Philippines report visible
health effects in the communities living near the bases. Birth
abnormalities and impaired intelligence among some children
living nearby are suspected links to the presence of highly
toxic life-threatening poisons left behind in the base by the US
Government. The US Government has consistently evaded
responsibility to clean up the contaminated sites within its
former bases, even though it has paid and conducted full
remediation of its sites in Europe and Japan. 
For more information, contact: 
Von Hernandez, Greenpeace International (the Philippines)   
Tel: +63 2 7408774. Telfax: +63 2 7401820    
Email: von.hernandez@dialb.greenpeace.org


Pakistan
Obsolete Imported Pesticides Threaten Human, Environmental
Health Hotspot: Malir pesticide storage site, Karachi, Pakistan
Issue: The Malir pesticide stockpile is one of the largest
storage sites for obsolete and date-expired pesticides in
Pakistan. The dump situated less than 150 meters from a school
and in close proximity to residential areas contains dieldrin,
endosulfan, heptachlor and benzene hexachloride - all of which
are highly toxic organochlorine pesticides. Companies such as
Shell, Dow Chemicals, Velsicol, Hoechst and Diamond Shamrock
exported all of these pesticides to Pakistan since the 1970s.
The storage conditions at the dump can be described as abysmal
at best with drums, plastic bags and sacks of life-threatening
poisons lying in various stages of decay and totally exposed to
the elements. Despite the fact that these pesticides were
exported to Pakistan, the chemical companies that sent them here
have not come forward to take responsibility for the management
of the poisons. Pictures and more documentation available.
For more information, contact: 
Nityanand Jayaraman, Greenpeace International (India) 
Telfax: +91 11 4310651
Email: nity@del3.vsnl.net.in

Australia
2000 Olympics May be Held Near Dioxin-contaminated Site
Hotspot: Homebush Bay, adjacent to the now-abandoned site of
Union Carbide's factory, Sydney, Australia. Issue: On June 3
last year, Greenpeace highlighted the extensive dioxin
contamination in the Homebush Bay, by safely storing an
abandoned stockpile of 69 drums of highly contaminated dioxin
waste. Two weeks later, the New South Wales Government committed
A$21 million to clean up the Bay. The US-based chemical company
Union Carbide of Bhopal fame, which is responsible for the
pollution in the Bay, abandoned the site more than 20 years ago.
According to the NSW Government, it is now impossible to
prosecute Union Carbide for the mess they have caused. The Bay,
which lies adjacent to the venue for the 2000 Olympics, is
unlikely to be cleaned up in time for the "Green" Olympics.

"What has happened to the idea of the Green Games?" says
Greenpeace Olympics campaigner Michael Bland. "A year ago we
highlighted the need for something to be done and today the Bay
is no closer to being cleaned." 
For more information, contact: 
Dr. Darryl Luscombe, Greenpeace Australia                   
Tel: +61 2 92614666. Fax: +61 2 92614588                    
Email: darryl.luscombe@au.greenpeace.org

Canada
Since 1995, the position of the Government of Canada, as stated
in its Toxic Substances Management Policy, has been that POPs
resulting predominantly from human activity should be "virtually
eliminated" from the environment. In 1997, the substances in
question were named. They include dioxin, PCBs,
hexachlorobenzene, and all the other targeted in the global
treaty negotiations. Unfortunately, Canada has not adopted
regulations to put this elimination policy into practice.
Emission of dioxin, for instance, has only been regulated in one
industrial sector (pulp and paper). Canada is also a net
recipient of POPs from global sources.

Hamilton, Ontario
Hotspot: Site of 1997 fire
Issue: In July 1997, a fire at Plastimet Inc. consumed some 400
tons of scrap car interiors consisting mainly of PVC plastic.
This single fire left behind a site with dioxin levels up to 66
times the maximum allowed even for industrial land. This is
estimated to have increased the 1997 air emissions of dioxin for
the whole of Canada by 4 percent. 

Magnola: The Largest Dioxin Source in Quebec
Hotspot: Magnesium production plant, Asbestos, Quebec
Issue: In April, 1998, the Quebec Government gave the go-ahead
to Noranda Inc for the Magnola project, the second largest
magnesium production plant in the world. According to Noranda's
projections, the conditions set by the Government decree and the
available national emissions inventories, the Magnola plant
could annually: 
* Increase industrial air emissions of hexachlorobenzene for the
whole of Canada by between 5 and 50 percent; 
* Increase emissions of dioxin to land/landfill for the whole of
Canada by 12 percent; 
* Produce an amount of hazardous waste to be sent for "off site
management" of an unspecified nature - equivalent to
approximately 100 tons of PCBs.

For more information, contact: 
Matthew Bramley, Greenpeace Quebec/Canada                   
Tel: +1 514 933 0021. Fax: +1 514 933 1017                  
Email: matthew.bramley@dialb.greenpeace.org

Brazil
Rhone-Poulenc's Legacy in Cubatao, Brazil

"No human being should get in contact with this thing; the place
where it was dumped cannot be cleaned-up; nobody should grow
anything there; nobody should drink water from that place."
Octacilio Miguel Teixeira Tavares, Rhone-Poulenc's manager at
Cubatao Plant, GEO  Magazine (April 24, 1992) Hotspot: Hazardous
Waste Dump Sites, Baixada Santista Region, Cubatao, Brazil.
Issue: About 33,000 tons of highly toxic industrial waste, from
Rhone Poulenc's sodium pentachlorophenate (fungicide) plant in
Cubatao, is stored in plastic bags in landfills in the region.
The wastes contain hexachlorobenzen, hexachlorbutadiene, carbon
tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, and hexachlorethane. More than
2 million people live in the region containing the five
landfills.

When the plant was in operation, workers were exposed to
contamination inside the factory. At least, two of them are
known to have died. The factory was forced to close as a result
of a lawsuit filed by workers and a strong campaign launched by
workers and environmental groups. For more information, contact:
Cristina Bonfiglioli, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace Brazil  
Tel: +55 11 30647284. Fax: +55 11 2825500 
Email: tbrazil@dialb.greenpeace.org

Czech Republic
Ex-Soviet Base Reports Record Levels of PCB, DDT
Hotspot: Ex-Soviet Military base in Milovice, 50 kilometers east
of Prague Issue: A June 1998 Greenpeace analysis of soil samples
in and around an ex-Soviet Military base in Milovice,
Czechoslovakia, has revealed PCB contamination to the extent of
95,000 mg/kg (parts per million). In the Czech Republic, the PCB
limit for industrial areas is 30 mg/kg. DDT levels at 1630 mg/kg
were 163 times greater than permissible levels. The property,
which until 1990 was occupied by the Soviet Military, is
currently inadequately guarded. After the departure of the
Soviet army, a private waste management company PROEKO installed
a mobile incinerator in a rented part of the area. Originally
set up to deal with oil-contaminated soil from the Military
operations in the area, the former owner of PROEKO subsequently
brought in 2000 tons of highly toxic wastes onto the property
from various Czech industries. In 1994, the company transformed
to ALISA (with no change of ownership), and is now being
liquidated. The company has left behind 428 barrels of toxic
wastes containing PCBs, perchloroethylene, DDT, cyanides and
nearly 1000 cubic meters of PCB-contaminated soil. Incidentally,
the production of PCBs was banned in the Czech Republic (then
Czechoslovakia) in 1984, and usage of DDT has been banned since
1978. 
For more information, contact: 
Zdenka Bubenikova, Greenpeace Czech Republic                
Tel: +420 2 2431 9667. Fax: +420 2 311 2289 
Email: zdenka.bubenikova@diala.greenpeace.org

Russia
Town of Death in Dzerzhinsk, Russia
Hotspot: A historically industrial town containing about 10
large chemical plants in Dzerzhinsk Issue: This is a town where
the death rate has exceeded the birth rate three-fold; where
highly polluting companies have operated for more than 80 years
with seemingly no efforts to control pollution; and where nearly
75 percent of the children suffer from birth defects.
Investigations conducted by Byroit University, Germany, reported
dioxin concentrations in the soil to be 1880 times more than
permissible levels in Russia. For more information, contact:
Greenpeace Russia (Toxics Campaign) 
Email: trussia@diala.greenpeace.org

Turkey
The Dark Side of Petkim
Hotspot: Dumpsite of PVC producer Petkim in Aliaga, near Izmir,
Turkey Issue: A June 1998 report published by Greenpeace in
Turkey identifies state-owned PVC manufacturer Petkim's dumpsite
as a reservoir of toxic substances including persistent organic
pollutants. Concern has been raised about the eventual
environmental and natural leakage of these life-threatening
poisons into the Mediterranean environment. The dumpsite has no
barrier to contain leachates. Results of analysis of samples
taken of sediments from the area immediately offshore of the two
main outflows carrying effluents from the Petkim complex show
the presence of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), and of highly toxic and persistent organochlorines
including Hexachlorobenzene, HCBD and HCE. These chemicals may
cause cancer and have the potential to damage the liver and
kidney. Sludge from the canal carrying effluent, including the
residues from vinyl chloromonomer (VCM) manufacture, was found
to contain more than 250 organic compounds. Many of these were
toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative organochlorines. Most
alarming was the discovery of 56.94 micrograms/kilogram of
dioxins and furans, a level that is among the highest reported
from PVC industries in Europe or USA. The Greenpeace
Laboratories carried out all the analyses at Exeter University,
UK. 
For more information, contact: 
Tolga Temuge, Greenpeace Turkey                        
Tel: +90 212 2364238
Email: turkey.toxics@diala.greenpeace.org