Press release
2002


Greenpeace requests for the help by International Commission for protection of Elbe:
Dioxines from Spolana Neratovice must not be spread out by floods!

Praha/Dresden, November 27, 2001 - Greenpeace has appealed today in Dresden to president of International Commission for protection of Elbe river to help eliminate risks from heavily dioxins polluted Spolana Neratovice (1). Former production halls which are reportedly worst world’s polluted spots are located directly in floods zone of Elbe. Management of Spolana has been until today ignoring all calls to secure these premises against possible floods (2).

The dioxins pollution comes from sixties when Spolana produced dangerous herbicides 2,4,5 - T. This was used for production of Agent Orange defoliant which American army used in Vietnam. Two production halls have been shut down and deserted for more than 30 years now because of extremely high concentration of dioxins (3).

Greenpeace has recently got hold of an expert study describing catastrophic conditions of deteriorating buildings which are not able to prevent dioxins from being spread around. Polluted buildings are situated on the banks of Elbe river. Fifty year flood could spread dioxins down the river. That would cause ecology disaster with unforseeable consequences not only in Czech Republic but also in Germany.

Greenpeace has today informed about dioxin problem in Spolana also representatives of Czech and German NGOs engaged in protection of Elbe during a meeting in Dresden.

„We believe that increased pressure by Czech and German public will make Spolana not ignore the problem any more. Dioxins along the Elbe is a time bomb.Spolana must secure collapsing buildings until the pollution is safely decontaminated,“ stressed MUDr. Miroslav Suta Greenpeace toxic campaigner.

Dioxines are extremely toxic chemicals which persist in the environment for very long period. Already small dosage could cause cancer and disrupt hormonal and imune system. Therefore in May 2002 a world agreement was concluded in Stockholm, the aim of which is to reduce and gradually prevent dioxins from coming into being (4).

Další informace:

Dr. Miroslav Suta, coordinator toxics campaign mobile: +420.603.443 140 (Czech and English),
e-mail: miroslav.suta@cz.greenpeace.org
Vaclav Vasku, press spokes person, mobile: +420.603.414 739 (Czech and English)
Jan Haverkamp, campaign director, mobile: +420.603.569 243 (English and German),
e-mail: jan.haverkamp@cz.greenpeace.org


internet: http://www.greenpeace.cz/agentorange



Notes for the editor:
(1) President of International Commission for protection of Elbe Dr. Ruchay has received information about polluted buildings at Spolana from Greenpeace and was asked to personally intervene into securing of the contaminated halls against floods.

(2) Risks analyses made up for Spolana by Aquatest company in January 2001.

(3) Dioxins formed at Spolana as undesirable byproduct during production of chlororganic herbicides, especially 2,4,5 T. The high concentrations of dioxins were monitored in the air inside as well as outside of polluted premises, in the soil and ground water. The highest concentration (over 24 000 ng TEQ/g) was detected in the chemical remains from production.

(4) Stockholm POPs treaty bans production and uses of PCB, ten most dangerous chlororganic pesticides (e.g. DDT, endrin, diendrin, lindan, etc.) and highest possible reduction of dioxin production. More than 90 members of Convention among them also the Czech republic commit to clean up of such polluted spots like Spolana.