GREENPEACE SCALES TALLEST INCINERATOR IN TOKYO – FOUR ACTIVISTS ARRESTED

9 May 2000

AMSTERDAM/TOKYO -- Four Greenpeace activists were arrested today in Tokyo after they climbed the tower of the world’s tallest incinerator, Toshima Ward, to protest against Japan’s reckless waste incineration policy, which results the world’s highest total emissions of dioxins and furans in Japan. (1-2)

The four Greenpeace climbers were taken to the police station after they had scaled the tower of the incinerator, whose chimney is 210 metres high, and dropped a banner proclaiming Tokyo as the world’s dioxin capital. The environmental group stressed that the Japanese government’s "mad rush to burn" policy is seriously compromising environmental and public health particularly in areas where the incinerators are located.

"The government’s pro-incineration waste policy needs to be thoroughly reviewed and revamped, with greater emphasis being placed on waste minimisation and recycling. Japan’s mindless incineration program has virtually become a high-priced dioxin manufacturing scheme that has effects the government has been unable to deal with in a significant way," said Toxics campaigner Ayako Sekine of Greenpeace Japan.

Japan now has more that 2000 highly polluting municipal incinerators all over the country. In contrast, the United States has fewer than 200 such facilities in operation.

Scientists have identified over 200 toxic or potentially toxic substances resulting from the combustion of municipal solid waste. These substances appear in incinerator air emissions and ash residues. They include heavy metals, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and highly toxic compounds such as dioxins and furans, which can cause cancer, birth defects, immune system disorders and neurological disorders.

Incinerators are known to increase rates of cancer and birth defects in their immediate vicinities. Independent studies in Japan have reported infant deaths, which were significantly higher than average in areas located around or downwind of incinerators. (3)

"Given the tremendous financial, environmental and public health liabilities associated with incineration, it is irrational that the Japanese government is still captivated by the false solutions being offered by incineration. Worse, Japan is actively exporting this unsound model of waste management to developing countries in Asia. This is unacceptable particularly in the light of an emerging international consensus to rid the planet of persistent poisons like dioxins," said Greenpeace Asia Toxics campaigner Von Hernandez.

"Preventing is the key. Preventing valuable resources from ever entering the disposal stream in the first place. Preventing the mounting volume of disposable products and packaging. Preventing the continuing use of dangerous toxic substances and stopping the headlong rush to incineration. We need real solutions, not illusions," added Sekine.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Ayako Sekine, Greenpeace Japan Toxics Campaigner, Tel: +81 90 2254 0114;
- Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Asia Toxics Campaigner, Tel: +81 90 2254 3326;
- Susan Yoshimura, Greenpeace Japan Media, Tel: +81 90 8116 9816;
- Teresa Merilainen, Greenpeace International Press Officer, Tel: +31 20 523 6637.

Footage available on request. Pictures will be available from
Greenpeace’s picture desk website: www.greenpeace.org/library/picturedesk.html

Follow Greenpeace’s Toxic Free Asia Tour on the web:
www.greenpeacve.org/~toxics/toxfreeasia/

(1) The four arrested climbers were Al (United Kingdom), Marleen (Belgium), Clement (Canada-Hong Kong) and Paul (the Netherlands).

(2) International Toxic Equivalency emitted into air. Source: UN Environment Programme, Chemicals Division. Dioxin and Furan Inventories: National and Regional Emissions of PCDD/PCDF (Geneva: Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, May 1999).

(3) Since 1995, repeated soil tests have been made by Prof. Miyata, H. of Setsunan University (Osaka) in co-operation with local citizens' groups and the 'Stop! Dioxin Pollution' Saitama committee. According to its findings, pollution levels are 100 to 450 pgTEQ/g over a 4km radius. The results of the tests made by both prefectural and local governments show that the atmospheric levels of dioxin in the area were as high as 3pgTEQ/m3. According to the local activists' investigations of the infant death rate in Tokorozawa and 12 surrounding towns and cities using demographic statistics compiled by the Ministry of Health and Welfare:- the infant death rates in all thirteen towns/cities were below the prefectural averages during the relatively incinerator free (1970-80) – the infant death rates in Iruma, Miyoshi, Oi, and Tokorozawa were 1.7, 1.64, 1.62 and 1.39 times the prefectural average between 1989 and 1994, when the steep increase in industrial waste incineration occurred.