GREENPEACE RETURNS TOXIC EFFLUENTS BACK TO SENDER – ELEVEN ACTIVISTS ARRESTED

17 October 1999

Acko -- Eleven Greenpeace activists were today arrested during a protest opposing the polluting activities of the PVC-producing plant Electro-Chemical Industries (EIL) in Acko, which has its toxic effluents emitted directly onto a public beach.

Greenpeace activists, wearing chemical protection overalls and facemasks, pumped the toxic effluents from EIL's effluent pipe back into the factory area. Five Greenpeace activists entering the plant were stopped by security but two managed to climb the chlorine tanker and hang a banner reading 'RETURN TO SENDER'. All activists together with the volunteers, holding signs calling for the ratification of the Barcelona convention amendments, are being held at the police station.

EIL (Electro-chemicals Industries Ltd) is a PVC plant, which directs its toxic effluents through a public beach to the sea. These effluents contribute to the degradation of the marine environment and are hazardous to public health, as acknowledged by company management which posted warning signs along the beach saying: "Industrial effluents, please avoid contact with effluents". Greenpeace made its statement today demanding an end to the PVC-producing plant’s toxic discharges into the sea.

Apart from the reported discharges of Mercury, EDC and VCM by the plant (1), samples taken last month by Greenpeace from EIL's wastewater discharge pipe, revealed a variety of persistent and bio-accumulative chlorinated organic chemicals, which are included as priority contaminants for elimination from discharges in the sea under the Barcelona convention (2). Exposure to organo-chlorines may occur through skin contact, breathing, drinking or food. These compounds are carcinogenic to humans and may cause birth defects or damage to the reproduction system.

In addition chlorinated solvents and chlorinated benzenes were identified in the discharge. These compounds bio-accumulates in marine organisms and can cause liver, kidney and respiratory damages.

Instead of putting an end to sea pollution, the EIL management is planning a new 1.2-kilometre toxic effluent pipe into the sea. The Israeli Ministry of Environment has approved this plan. By doing so it ignored the regional Land-Based Source (LBS) protocol of the Barcelona convention.

"The Israeli government must take action in this regard by ratifying all protocols within the Barcelona convention before March 2000, in order for the convention to enter into force and become an effective tool to stop the degradation of the Mediterranean," Elasar concluded (3).

The Rainbow Warrior toxic tour has already visited Spain, Italy, Turkey and Lebanon pushing governments to ratify the Barcelona Convention and carrying actions to highlight polluting activities that are destroying the Mediterranean ecosystem. The Toxic Tour is expected to culminate in Malta whilst this year’s Ministerial Meeting is ongoing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Mia Elasar or Ofer Ben Dov on mobiles 053-25227, 052-433694. In Malta, Caroline Muscat on 490784/5

Visit www.greenpeacemed.org.mt for more information.

(1) EIL monthly reports for 1999 show concentrations of Mercury, EDC and VCM discharged daily into the Mediterranean Sea.

(2) Organochlorinesare included as priority contaminants for elimination from discharges in the sea under annex 1 of the "Barcelona Convention Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources". Israel has signed the 1996 protocol, which gives priority to phasing-out POPs but still has to ratify so it will enter into force.

Today,all Mediterranean states, including the EU, are members of the Barcelona Convention. However, only with ratification will the Convention legally enter into force and bind each country to implement legislation that will free the Mediterranean from the plague of toxic pollution that is claiming its future. Currently, the only country to have ratified all protocols is Tunisia, with Monaco, Spain and Italy yet to ratify the Offshore and Hazardous Waste protocols. Other member states are satisfied with perpetuating the molestation of the Mediterranean by prolonging ratification.

(3) Ratification has to come early enough in the year 2000 to allow the countries to formulate the phase out schedules they themselves agreed to create by March of the same year. In the lack of ratification, the agreement will be rendered null and void.