GREENPEACE DUMPS ILLEGAL CEMENT KILN WASTE ON COMPANY’S DOORSTEP

18 May 2001

Stockholm: Greenpeace this morning dumped waste on the doorstep of ‘Cementa’, located on Gotland Island off the Swedish coast, and accused the company of importing and incinerating waste illegally. The action occurred after Greenpeace discovered Norwegian waste at the plant for which the company has no permit. Greenpeace has called in the police to investigate the company.

“It’s clear that ‘Cementa’ is systematically lying,” said Greenpeace campaigner, Gunnar Lind, on board the MV Greenpeace that is moored at Cementa’s quayside. “Now it’s transpired they are misleading the authorities as well by illegally burning this Norwegian waste,” he added.

Greenpeace activists have been occupying the company’s incinerator stack and blocking the conveyor belt that carries plastic waste to the kiln for the past 48 hours to protest against the company‘s policy of burning waste. It started burning waste tires and waste plastics in 1997 and, this year, started a “trial” burn of 25,000 tonnes of hazardous waste from the UK. The company’s own records show emission’s have increased since they started burning this waste, including heavy metals and POPs.

Next week, approximately 120 countries are expected to sign a global agreement to ban persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Stockholm. Cement kilns that burn hazardous waste as well as other incinerators are listed as a significant source of some of the POPs, such as cancer causing dioxins, that are targeted for elimination under the new POPs convention.

“ ‘Cementa’ is probably profiting by fuelling its ovens with this waste rather than paying for oil and coal fuels,” said Lind. “But it has to stop releasing the toxic poisons. The authorities can no longer let this go. They must stop this plant burning waste immediately ,” he added.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Wytze van der Naald, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner on + 31 627 000059 (m)
Gunnar Lind, Greenpeace Nordic toxics campaigner on + 46 703 976673 (m)

Greenpeace started this direct action against ‘Cementa’ on Tuesday. After the company refused to meet Greenpeace demands to stop burning waste, Greenpeace took further direct action, blocked the conveyor belt that carries waste into the cement kiln and occupied the 100 metre high incinerator stack. The action is ongoing.