BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES POINT TO SOLVAY AS SOURCE OF DIOXIN CONTAMINATION

1 April 1999

Amsterdam -- Brazilian environmental authorities have confirmed Greenpeace information which identified a subsidiary of Belgian chemical producer Solvay as a source of German food contamination. The Sao Paulo State Environmental Protection Agency, CETESB, issued a press statement on March 26th in which Solvay is named as a source of dioxin that contaminated citrus pulp exported to Europe for animal fodder in 1997.

"Solvay has known about the contamination since last August and is still trying to deny any involvement," said Greenpeace toxics campaigner Marcelo Furtado. "The Brazilian authorities clearly back Greenpeace information pointing to Solvay as a source of dioxin contamination. It is time for Solvay to stop spreading toxins and misinformation and start cleaning the contaminated site."

"To correct distorted information" released by Solvay, CETESB states that their samples collected from the Solvay waste site showed positive results on dioxin contamination and that Solvay was one of the suppliers of the lime used in the processing of citrus pulp. CETESB notified Solvay in August 1998 about the contamination and asked the company to stop all activities on the hazardous waste site. The company was also requested by CETESB to produce a plan for the disposal of the contaminated lime. The plan is expected to finalised by next July.

Since Greenpeace published its information Solvay has denied any involvement in the citrus pulp contamination or that the lime at the Sao Paulo site is contaminated with dioxin. The company also ran an ad in national newspapers in Brazil denying Greenpeace information and any financial or legal responsibility.

"The dioxin fingerprints examined by Science Unit of Greenpeace in the University of Exeter, UK, showed that dioxin found in the contaminated citrus pulp is virtually identical with some of the samples from Solvay," said Furtado. "Our results clearly shows that Solvay is involved in the contamination no matter what the company states in its ads."

Greenpeace demands the immediate clean-up of Solvay's contaminated site as well as elimination of all dioxin sources. A full investigation on the possible use of contaminated lime in Brazil also needs to take place. Furthermore, Greenpeace is also demanding a full disclosure of all information related to this investigation by the Brazilian and EU authorities.

In March 1998 high levels of dioxin in milk sold in Germany were traced to citrus pellets made in Brazil from the contaminated citrus pulp. The investigation resulted a ban on all citrus pulp imports to EU from Brazil and the seizure of the citrus pellets in the following countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Marcelo Furtado, International Toxics campaigner, +55 11 306 12 934
- Wytze van der Naald, Greenpeace International, Amsterdam, +31 20 5236 209
- Mika Railo, Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 20 5249 548