space Press Releases, News Stories

TOXIC WASTE FROM MEXICO ON THE RISE

Agencia EFE S.A., Edited by Kate Goff Managing Editor, Solid Waste Online

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, 18 August 2000 -- Toxic waste produced in Mexico by assembly plants along the border (maquiladoras) and shipped to the United States fordisposal has increased 300% in the past two years, said environmental protection officials from both nations in a meeting in El Paso, TXon Thursday.

Representatives of the Texas environmental protection agency made public the conclusions of a bilateral meeting on thehandling of toxic waste. The large quantity of toxic waste generated by the maquiladoras is attributable to the fact that they neglect to applyadequate waste management measures.

Texas waste disposal sites are full of such toxic waste and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the capacity tostore toxic waste from Mexico would be exhausted within the next two years.

Jesus Reynoso, the spokesman for the El Paso area environmental protection entity, said that border plants should investin toxic waste management technology. Some 70% of Mexico's 4,500 maquiladoras are on the border.

Texas Environmental Protection Agency figures show that almost 7,000 tons of toxic waste came into the United Statesfrom the 300 or so Ciudad Juarez area assembly plants in the first half of the year, 80% of which was industrial waste and the rest, oil andgrease.

Some 53% of this waste was buried in Texan toxic waste dumps, while the remainder was sent to other states.

Delegations from both countries plan to meet in September to discuss the problem.

FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a `fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond `fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. 
More News