La Coruna, Spain, 13 October 1999 - Greenpeace activists today blocked both gates to the Sogama incinerator under construction in Spain. If finished the incinerator would be the largest in Spain and a new source of dioxin.
"Dioxins are among the most toxic substances mankind has ever produced," said Greenpeace's Pablo Mascarenas, "and incineration is the largest single air emission source identified. Yet, the incineration industry is still expanding in Europe and elsewhere in the world. This trend needs to be halted if European governments, including Spain, are serious about their commitment to eliminate dioxin."
Dioxins and furans are a group of very toxic and persistent substances, meaning that very small amounts may cause harm. Dioxin is associated with health hazards ranging from reproductive problems to cancer, and other illnesses. Once released in the environment, they persist for a very long time, and are dangerous even in minute doses.
Dioxins are on the priority list of chemicals whose elimination is mandated by the Oslo-Paris (OSPAR) Commission. OSPAR is a European agreement between ministers of countries surrounding the Northeast Atlantic along with the EU Environmental Commissioner to eliminate all releases of hazardous substances into the environment within one generation (2020). Measures for the priority list of chemicals should be developed by 2003. In addition, dioxins are on the United Nations Environmental Program priority list for global elimination.
"It is unacceptable that new dioxin sources are created, while the current dioxin levels already may pose subtle risks to human health", Mascarenas added. "Instead of granting new dioxin permits, the Spanish government should act responsibly and prepare a dioxin elimination plan, including alternatives for waste incineration".
This action in Spain concludes the current tour with the Greenpeace ship MV Greenpeace in Europe to remind governments to take steps to eliminate the release of hazardous substances into the environment as agreed to at the 1998 OSPAR conference. The tour started at the beginning of August with a fact finding mission in the Norwegian Arctic (Svalbard), then continued along the European coast to highlight ongoing pollution with dioxins (in Denmark) and other hazardous substances, such as the ship paint biocide TBT (in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium).
