Today, the military conceded to Greenpeace's calls to contain toxic pollution that is leaking from Sweden's underground naval base, "Muskö", directly into the Baltic Sea.

After ongoing negotiations between the Swedish military and Greenpeace inside the restricted underground base, the Swedish National Defence accepted it was responsible for releasing persistent organic pollutants into the Baltic environment. In a press release issued today, it committed to stopping ships using their propellers as they enter the base's tunnels immediately to avoid the contaminated sediment from being disturbed.

In addition, it agreed to put forward proposals, no later than 5th June, which will further address how to stop the PCBs leaking from the tunnels into the environment and implement these measures as soon as possible. It also reassured Greenpeace that it would investigate all possible sources of the PCB pollution and to take appropriate measures to stop pollution and to clean up the wider area around the archipelago. Agreement was reached that the gate to the tunnels would not be closed immediately due to fears that this would further disrupt the contaminated sediments.

The Greenpeace vessel MV Greenpeace sailed to Sweden's largest military underground naval base "Muskö" near Stockholm today to protest against it releasing persistent pollutants (POPs) directly into the Baltic Sea. Greenpeace demanded that the Swedish navy close the base's tunnels and any other outflows in order to contain PCBs and other POPs contamination that Swedish authorities discovered at the base and prevent it from spreading into the environment.

"This military naval base is responsible for some of the highest levels of PCB ever found in Swedish sediments," said Emma Öberg, Greenpeace toxic campaigner on board the MV Greenpeace. The navy has known about this for over a year yet has done nothing to prevent these very hazardous substances from leaking into the Baltic Sea," she added.

Last year Swedish authorities realised "Muskö" was contaminating the Swedish archipelago with PCBs. Since then, they have been discussing with the Swedish
navy how to locate the source of contamination and assess the extent of the pollution.

"It is urgent that the exact sources of this pollution are found but it is also vital that the spread of the contamination is ascertained as much of the surrounding
archipelago may have been affected and in need of clean up," said Öberg. "Every day the doors to the military base remain open, we are concerned that more toxic POPs are being flushed into the Baltic. Until this area is sealed and decontaminated, it will continue to pose a serious hazard to public health and the environment," she added.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expecting to start further assessment of the PCB pollution and a search for its sources this summer. According to the Swedish authorities, ship paints containing PCBs are the most likely source of the contamination. They may have polluted the sediments when naval ships have been stripped of their paint inside the underground base, despite that fact that Sweden banned the use of PCBs in ship paint decades ago. However other possible sources have not been excluded. The sediments are also expected to be polluted with other hazardous substances that are still used in ship paint such as TBT and Diuron.

Full press release


Previous:
3 May - Toxic Discharges blocked to highlight Pulp and Paper Pollution
25 April - Activists arrested during Incinerator protest
22 April - Big crowds for open boats and concert in St. Petersburg

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