GREENPEACE OCCUPIES TOXIC CEMENT KILN AND CALLS FOR END TO WASTE BURNING

16 May 2001

Stockholm: At 10.00 am today, six Greenpeace climbers wearing protective suits occupied the 100 metre high smokestack of the 'Cementa' cement kiln on the Swedish Island of Gotland to protest against the continued release of toxic pollution from the incineration of waste at the plant. Meanwhile ten other Greenpeace activists stopped waste entering the incinerator by blocking the conveyor belt that carries it into the cement kiln.

The direct action followed a four hour negotiation last night between Greenpeace and the plant management during which the company, owned by the German based 'Heidelberg Cement Group', stated that it would not stop burning waste and releasing toxic pollution into the environment. It added that its policy was to increase waste burning in its plants. (1)

"It's companies like 'Cementa' that are causing the world's current toxic pollution crisis," said Greenpeace Nordic toxic campaigner Gunnar Lind. "The company's own emission data and reports show it's emitting more and more toxic pollution into the environment and plans to release yet more with no concern for the health and environmental problems they cause," he added.

The 100 year old 'Cementa' plant started burning waste rubber tires and plastics in 1997. This year, it was permitted to import 25,000 tonnes of hazardous waste from the UK for a "trial burn". Cement kilns that burn hazardous waste are listed as significant sources of some of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as cancer causing dioxins, that are targeted for elimination under the new POPs convention, to be signed and adopted by over 120 countries in Stockholm next week. (2)

"It is pure hypocrisy for the country hosting the dawning of this new treaty is allowing its own industries to generate even more of these toxic poisons," said Lind. "If the commitment to solve this toxic problem is genuine, every government around the world will take immediate action to stop burning of waste and to eliminate other sources of these dangerous pollutants. The Swedish government should start by setting a clear example here," he added.

Greenpeace started its protest against 'Cementa' yesterday when activists took plastic waste from the plant and put it onboard the organisations vessel, MV Greenpeace, that is docked near the plant. The MV Greenpeace is currently touring the Baltic to expose the sources of persistent organic pollutants in the region. The tour, which is the last leg of a global toxic tour, will end in Stockholm where the waste will be delivered to delegates signing of the treaty to stress that they should take action to solve the POPs problem created by the incineration of waste and other industries.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
The action is ongoing. For further information, interviews with Greenpeace campaigners or the crew of the MV Greenpeace call:
Gunnar Lind, Greenpeace Nordic toxics campaigner on + 46 70 397 6673
Ulrika Tenlid, Greenpeace Nordic press officer on mobile + 46 70 668 7070
Matilda Bradshaw, Greenpeace International press officer on + 31 20 24 9545 or mobile + 31 6 535 04701
Footage and stills of the MV Greenpeace, toxic pollution in the Baltic and today's action are available on request

(1) Emissions data from the plant reveals that the emissions of heavy metals and some other toxic compounds increased since the plant started to burn waste tires and plastics. Emissions of toxic chlorinated compounds as well as dioxins increased significantly during the test burn.

(2) The United Nations Environment Programme has listed burning hazardous waste in cement kilns as having the potential for comparatively high formation and release of dioxins, furans, hexachlorobenzene and PCBs in the final text of the upcoming Stockholm Convention.

For the Greenpeace report "POPs in the Baltic", which confirms that levels of PCBs, dioxins and other POPs in the Baltic environment are critical, and further information on alternative, non-incineration technologies are available on:

http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/globaltour/