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Press Release by Basel Action Network, et al.

However, unless this region's office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Idaho officials take action as have their counterparts in California and Nevada, it is likely that the massive shipment of waste now packed in 357 large shipping containers will soon be headed into Puget Sound and then be trucked out on Interstate-90 and finally dumped at the Envirosafe facility, located in Grand View, Idaho.

"Because there are few activists working on industrial waste issues in Idaho, that state has become the latest target in an irresponsible global dumping game which finds these poisons shuttled down a path of least resistance," said Laurie Valeriano, Director of the Industrial Toxics Project for the Washington Toxics Coalition.

In a meeting called by environmentalists last Friday, Region X EPA Administrator Chuck Clarke confirmed that the likely route of the waste, now packed in 357 shipping containers would be through Puget Sound, via the ports of Seattle or Tacoma. Mercury waste is known to be very toxic and is bioaccumulative in marine organisms. An accidental spill in Puget Sound could contaminate shellfish and food fish for many years to come.

"When other states have rejected transport and dumping through their regions, the last thing we want is for Puget Sound to become the potential sacrifice zone," said Kathy Fletcher, Executive Director of People for Puget Sound. "A water accident involving these shipments would be devastating to our already contaminated marine food chain."

The toxic waste, now sitting in Kaohsiung Harbor in southern Taiwan, created an international furore late last year when it was dumped illegally near the Cambodian port town of Sihanoukville. The Cambodian dumping incident was implicated in the deaths of two persons exposed to the waste, and 5 others who died in the riot and panic that followed the discovery of the toxic import. It was reported in Cambodian newspapers that bribes of 3 million dollars were paid by FPG to facilitate the Cambodian importation. When Cambodia demanded the removal of the toxic wastes following the scandal, FPG complied but then tried to send the waste to the Safety-Kleen landfill in California.

This failed when EPA, citing uncertainties over the content of the waste, rescinded their initial authorization to receive the waste following protests including letters of concern written by both California Senators. Safety-Kleen later decided to drop the very lucrative contract saying "it has been determined that this material is more complex than originally believed."

Indeed there remains much doubt as to what the waste contains besides high levels of mercury. It is known that the highly toxic organic compounds dioxins, and furans are present and the waste could very well contain other hazardous organic compounds used in the plastics industry such as phthalates.

EPA Regional Administrator Chuck Clarke stated in last week's meeting that the EPA would not make any decision until he was "comfortable" with the characterization of the waste. He also agreed to allow a "public process" although he did not confirm whether communities along the transport route including Seattle or Tacoma would be consulted or included.

EPA officials also expressed a concern shared with the environmental groups that this shipment could be the tip of an iceberg of massive future exports of Asian waste to the US west coast. During the meeting EPA officials admitted that there are no criteria in existing or even in proposed US legislation that restrict toxic waste from flowing into the US once it had been notified and the receiving facility is authorized to deal with it. Without a strong policy limiting toxic waste imports, environmental groups believe Asian companies like FPG will never be compelled to implement waste prevention practices at source. Congressman McDermott has voiced similar concerns and will be raising these soon with the EPA.

"We are doing Taiwan no favors by volunteering to serve as their toxic trashbin," said Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network (BAN) a Seattle based organization that monitors international traffic in hazardous waste. "Taiwan must embark at once on a program to reduce toxic wastes at source. And rather than importing toxic wastes, the United States should be exporting the needed waste minimization and stabilization technologies," he said.

For more information contact:

Laurie Valeriano, Washington Toxics Coalition: 632-1545 Ext. 14

Kathy Fletcher, People for Puget Sound, 382-7007

Jim Puckett, Basel Action Network (BAN), 720-6426