"The situation in Spolana is worse than we expected. The concentrations of mercury in the samples we took are ten times higher than Spolana admitted publicly. It is shocking that such a chemical time-bomb exists in an area that already 30 years runs the risk of being flooded," declared Dr. Miroslav Suta, toxic expert for Greenpeace.

The probes were taken on the 6th of May of this year by an international specialist team of Greenpeace that had entered the Spolana site with rubber boats over the Elbe River (4). "Verbal attacks from the Spolana management and the Central-Bohemian governor Petr Bendl against the fact that Greenpeace took samples could maybe be explained from fear for independent analyses that the contamination in Spolana is worse than officially presented," comments Ir. Jan Haverkamp, Campaign Director of Greenpeace in the Czech Republic.

People that are exposed for a long time to mercury can feel weak, tired, have headaches, lack of appetite, digestion problems and weight loss. Mercury can damage the nerve system so much, that uncontrollable tremors can occur that start in the eyelids, tongue, lips and fingers. Those afflicted can suffer loss of memory and psychological effects including depression (5). Several studies indicated an enlarged chance on spontaneous abortion, premature birth and birth deformations like lower birth weight amongst women that work professionally with mercury (6).

From early 2001, Greenpeace runs a campaign to persuade Spolana to take safety measures around dioxin- and mercury-polluted buildings and take care of its safe decontamination.

After increasing pressure from Greenpeace, Spolana admitted last May publicly the depth of the toxic contamination problems on its site. According to its own press release of 27 May, the firm will safeguard part of the polluted buildings against dioxin emissions and that it will build an anti-flood wall around the mercury polluted area (7). With that, Spolana de facto admitted Greenpeace's charges (8).

Spolana Neratovice produces chlorine products and is the monopoly producer of PVC in the Czech Republic. It suffered a long list of accidents and toxic releases into the environment. The production of chlorine and chloro-organic substances polluted the Spolana site with dioxins, mercury and several other highly dangerous substances.

Mgr. Tomas Tetiva,[Czech, English] media assistant, mobile: +420.602.775 044, e-mail: tomas.tetiva@cz.greenpeace.org
Internet: http://www.greenpeace.cz/agentorange

Notes for the editor:
(1) The mercury pollution has been caused by former and present electrolysis production of chlorine at Spolana. The older production unit was closed in 1975, but Spolana continues to use this dangerous technology. According an expert study commissioned by Spolan itself, over 250 tons of mercury pollute the area on the banks of the Labe River. This mercury poses a threat to the ecosystem of the Elbe and to public health. Metalic mercury and even more dangerous organo-mercury substances contaminate not only the production units, but also tens of thousands cubic meters of soil directly on the bank of the Elbe River.

((2) The highest concentration of mercury in the soil at Spolana was 37 grams per kilogram soil. Several times concentrations around 1,5 to 3,6 grams per kilogram soil were found. It was not possible to measure concentrations per kilogram dry soil, because part of the mercury was present in the form of small droplets of mercury. Source: Ecochem a.s., Zkušební laboratoř akreditovaná ČIA č. 1163, Protokol o zkoušce č. 6294/1/2002

(3) In non-contaminated control areas, a collective of G. Balazova found 0,2 mg/kg dry soil. Source: Bencko V., Cikrt M., Lener J.: Toxické kovy v životním a pracovním prostředí člověka, Grada 1995

(4) (4) "Greenpeace took samples of mercury pollution in Spolana Neratovice, Czech Republic", Greenpeace Press Release 20/2002, 6 May 2002,http://www.greenpeace.cz/release/02/020506.htm

(5) Bencko V., Cikrt M., Lener J.: Toxické kovy v životním a pracovním prostředí člověka (Toxic metals in life and work environment of people), Grada, Praha 1995

(6) WHO: Environmental Health Criteria - 86, Mercury - Environmental Aspects, Geneva, WHO 1989

(7) Spolana promised at the end of June to build a 70 cm high flood wall of sandbags around the mercury polluted area. Source: Joska Z.: Press Release Spolana a.s. 27. 5. 2002

(8) "Spolana admits seriousness of problems with dioxins and mercury and announces measures", Greenpeace Press Release 28 May 2002, http://www.greenpeace.cz/release/02/020528.htm