Nexus - 0109 - New Times Magazine-pages

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CHEMICAL DAZE CHEMICAL A CLEAN EUROPE? INDIGESTION | 3, 1202 ancte Fuxoreax THE INTERNATIONAL CHEMICAL IN- being made to harmonise anti-pollution DUSTRY IS DISCOVERING THE COST laws. Countries will have to conform to the OF NOT HAVING AN ENVIRON- highest environmental standards that existin Europe. Companies in a country like Britain MENTAL CONSCIENCE. U.S. consumers oP bi Sup . will have to reduce water pollution to meet who are concemed about CFCs destroying . the higher West German standard. the atmosphere have tumed to aeroso) alter- ea ba . The US passed legislation in 1986 that natives. In West Germany detergents con- : . a an laid down strict rules for the reduction of taining phosphate additives are no longer duced be: 1 4 buyi hazardous waste and gave communilics the produce cause People stopped buying right to know what local chemical plants aes osphates soften water but kill life in were producing (after Bhopal). Shell Oil Since 1950 the chemical industry has | ™¥ have to pay $2 billion for cleaning up 2 . . : pesticide and herbicide plant site after being increased world production of bulk chemi- fi a als from 2 million to 100 million tonn sued for environmental damage. Since 1982 cals rom onto en es per the chemical industry has reduced waste year. Since the 1960s regulators have tied to . . : . we : production by half and 20% of the industry's TOX C R/ AGT se ee have non Deen ble Sones n capital expenditure (i.e. investment) now I \ S i E oes on anti-pollution devices. T asetof standards among themselves, Across . These pe Bor may be a case of ‘too little, INCINERA OR me ul OECD ee of “haz- too late’ but should be encouraged and fur- FOR NSW arcous waste’ (as defin y each country) thered. However, there are many chemical varies from 12kg to 600kg per person. | plants in the Middle East, Asia and South Because pollution crosses frontiers, America with no pollution controls at all. A IA H ABOUT 11,000 chemical companies have argued that it USTRAL AS b Extending environmental standards to in- = ;ONNES OF TOXIC WASTE -theresultof doesn’t make sense for them to try and meet the various national standards. Although chernical poisons transfer between air, soil private industries - waiting for disposal. and water, laws governing pollution are About 500 tonnes are sent to Britain each usually drafted separately. Regulators are TOXIC SLUDGE year to be burnt in high-temperature incin- trying to iron out inconsistencies while intro- erators, but in Sydney alone 4,000 drums of ducing tough new laws. 5 7 . toxic waste are added to a 40,000 drum Among the industrialised countries of On Brisbane’s southern outskirts stockpile every year. NSW has about 9,500 clude these countries will require a major i : P ii 2 d effort by the international community. TS gees Of swpcplling by’ gouersarent pn the OECD two of the strictest are West Ger- in the suburb of Kingston, a black sludge is tonnes of waste, as industry in NSW pro- many and the US. In West Germany compa- oozing up into people's gardens. Almost a duces far more toxic waste than in other nies are given tax credits for spending on square kilometre has been described as po- | , states. Because there is no environmentally pollution controls. Since 1981, spending on tentially chemically dangerous in a govern- safe way to dispose of the waste itis stored in environmental protection has doubled to ment report by a firm of consulting engi- stee] drums and left at factories. $2.5 billion (1987-88) and chemical emis- neers. The report warned that the toxic | The NSW Minister for the Environment, sions into the atmosphere were 62% lower in chemicals could have spread up to Skm Tim Moore, said that this made it inevitable 1986 than 1968. Sales of plastic bottles are to into surrounding suburbs. | that an incinerator for toxic waste would be be banned unless manufacturers agree to The suburb was built on reclaimed land built in NSW. Although the State Govern- recycle them. Denmark and Italy are also next to an old gold mine where oi] and | menthas agreed to build a high-temperature introducing new laws for the disposal of chemical waste of unknown origin was incinerator after a joint Commonwealth, plastics. dumped. Tests have shown the presence of Victorian and NSW investigation, it is now lead, manganese, mercury and carcinogenic faced with the problem of finding a site for it. PCBs in the soil, while open drains which run The environmental hazards associated with through local schools are contaminated by | transporting and buming toxic waste mean chemicals. The state government has started that no local community wants the incinera- an emergency program to clean up the area tor and the choice of the site is a very sensi- and medically assess the 400 residents. Six tive issue; somewhere in the sparsely popu- | houses were resumed after the sludge first lated west of the state seems to be likely. appeared in 1987 and more resumptions are AFR expected to follow. Weekend Australian Gerard DAZE CHEMICAL CHEMICAL INDIGESTION ” NEXUS New Times Nine ~ 1989 : 31 2e-_—_ as __ A CLEAN EUROPE? TOXIC WASTE INCINERATOR FOR NSW TOXIC SLUDGE