Earthlife Africa eThekwini has welcomed the announcement by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, that the Thor Chemicals cleanup is finally being launched. This follows years of action by Earthlife Africa to stop the company from importing toxic mercury waste for incineration which has had a detrimental effect on both the health of workers at Thor Chemicals and the surrounding environment.
Press Release: Thor Chemicals
Embargo: 10 am 3 August 2004
Durban: Earthlife Africa eThekwini welcomes the announcement by the Deputy
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, that
the Thor Chemicals cleanup is finally being launched. This follows years of
action by Earthlife Africa to stop the company from importing toxic mercury
waste for incineration which has had a detrimental effect on both the health
of workers at Thor Chemicals and the surrounding environment. Workers have
died as result of working in the mercury plant and incinerator at Inchanga
(Cato Ridge).
Earthlife Africa eThekwini has been concerned that Thor Chemicals would
refuse to pay for the clean up but thanks to the Deputy Minister Ms
Rejoice Mabudafhasi's intervention, the company is now paying R24 million
towards the cleanup. This amount however, will only be sufficient to cover
the first phase of the project which includes the EIA to determine the
cleanup requirements and also to determine the impact and methodology of the
proposed disposal of the toxic mercury waste. Earthlife Africa eThekwini
calls upon the government to hold the company responsible for the full cost
of the total clean up of the site.
"Earthlife Africa eThekwini's position has not changed in this process in
that we call for the toxic mercury waste to be sent back to its source in
the United States and Great Britain as part of the cleanup", said Bryan Ashe
spokesperson for Earthlife Africa eThekwini.
Earthlife Africa eThekwini will be monitoring the EIA and will document this
process and the worker's stories as part of our Ecological Debt Campaign
together with Jubilee South Africa ,who will be hosting an Ecological Debt
Tribunal in 2005.
/ends
For more information;
Contact Bryan Ashe -0826521533 or 031-201119
_____________________________________
Bryan Ashe
Earthlife Africa eThekwini (Durban) Branch
P.O. Box 18722
Dalbridge
4014
South Africa
Local:
Cell: 0826521533
Tel: 031-2011119
Fax: 088 031 2011119
International
Mobile: +27-826521533
Tel: +27-31-2011119
Fax: +27-088-031-201119
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.earthlife-ct.org.za
Author
Anonymous (not verified)
