TOXIC
FREE ASIA TOUR
The SV Rainbow Warrior Tour in Asia |
TOUR
LOGBOOK
8
FEB. 2000 - JAPAN USES AID TO EXPORT 'TOXIC' INCINERATION
|
Greenpeace activists today delivered a container of toxic ash from Japanese-built waste incinerators to the Japanese embassy in Bangkok demanding Japan stop exporting polluting technology to Thailand. Samplings of ash from two incinerators in Phuket and Samui islands demonstrate that high levels of toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium are being released into the environment. |
| This is to highlight the Greenpeace warning that Japan is using its development aid and lending agencies to aggressively promote the export of polluting incinerators to Thailand despite the closure of incinerators in Japan because of public concern over pollution levels. |  |
The
toxic ash was collected on our previous action in Phuket. The ash was stored
in a hazardous material barrel for the journey and was then bolted to the
front gates of the Japanese Embassy with the help of 16 activists. Around
a dozen policemen watched the protest but they seemed more concerned that
the barrel was not a threat to the embassy than our protest.
The Japanese ambassador
also arrived in the middle of the protest, which added a nice touch. A memorandum
was sent to the ambassador demanding that they take responsibility for the
ash.
|
Greenpeace
criticised Japanese aid and lending agencies such as the Overseas Economic
Cooperation Fund (OECF) which are funding incinerators abroad while
at home mounting public concern over the environmental impacts of incinerators
has forced some waste burners to close down. A current project proposes
to burn Bangkok’s waste in four Japanese-funded incinerators, each with
a daily capacity of 1300 tons, at a cost of 20,000 million baht ($US540
million). The amount will be given as a soft-loan to the Thai government
for the purchase of Japanese incinerators.
|
| "Japan can’t fool the Thai public by giving incinerators as hand-outs just to expand their markets. Peddling discredited and environmentally polluting technologies such as incineration is tantamount to a toxic invasion", said Tara Buakamsri, Greenpeace Toxic Campaigner in Thailand. |
|
Incinerators
are known to release dangerous levels of heavy metals and ultra-toxic chemicals
such as dioxins. Pollution monitoring of incinerators is a highly expensive
process. Countries, such as the Netherlands, Germany and Japan, which have
ambitiously tightened regulations on incinerators are facing monumental costs
to monitor and contain the pollution caused by these machines.
Studies have shown that Japanese people carry some of the highest levels of
life-threatening chemicals such as dioxins in their bodies as a result of
the widespread, but now discouraged practice of incineration. "It is ironic
that after polluting Japan, Japanese incinerator companies supported by the
Japanese government are taking their toxic trade to poorer Asian nations like
Thailand.
Japan should be assisting Thailand to move towards progressive waste reduction,
segregation and recycling programmes," said Ayako Sekine, Greenpeace’s Japanese
Toxic Campaigner currently in Thailand.
This action comes a day after the announcement of the opening of Greenpeace's
new South East Asia Office in Bangkok. The office covers Thailand, Indonesia,
Malaysia,The Philippines and Vietnam.
| "South East Asia has emerged as a key arena in the battle to save the planet. Ecological security for the planet will not be won without Asian involvement. The challenge for Greenpeace is to encourage South East Asia not to make the environmental mistakes of the West, by using inappropriate and environmentally destructive technologies," said Greenpeace International Executive Director Thilo Bode. |  |
UNCTAD
promotes toxic dumping on Asia
