TOXIC AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS POSE GRAVE HEALTH RISKS by Business Day (Thailand) BANGKOK, Thailand, 1 March 2000 -- Greenpeace, the well-known environmental activist organization, is launching a global campaign against the dumping of toxic waste and radioactive materials by industrialized countries onto less developed countries. During a stopover in Thailand of their flagship Rainbow Warrior in late February, Greenpeace identified India, the Philippines and Thailand as dumping grounds for toxic waste from industrialized countries. These materials are being brought into these countries in large quantities for "recycling purposes." The imported materials are meant for use as raw materials in fast expanding production industries. Within two weeks of the Greenpeace warning, an incident occurred when four garbage collectors entered a warehouse of Mazda Cars in Samut Prakarn province, on the edge of Bangkok. Here they picked up several metallic containers which later proved to contain Cobalt 60, a radioactive material. The four garbage collectors, subsequently charged by the car company with theft, were taken to hospital for treatment of unusual symptoms. All of them were suffering from the effects of exposure to cobalt 60 radiation, often used by hospitals for x-ray purposes. One of the victims, who has suffered the worst side-effects, reported experiencing chronic fatigue, hair-loss, and burns to the groin. The other victims also developed radiation burns on their hands. After the incident was exposed, the Office of Atomic Energy for Peace was ordered by the Minister of Science, Energy and the Environment, Dr Arthit Urairat, to investigate the site where the cobalt 60 was found. A further order was issued by the minister to survey other suspected sites, and hospitals, to establish how potentially dangerous radioactive materials are being stored, and to assess the safety measures undertaken by the parties responsible. The Thai Office of Atomic Energy for Peace has come under critical fire, the same fate being faced by the Ministry of Science, Energy and Environment. Thailand is also under the close observation from the world community for its competence in safely handling hazardous radioactive substances. The country faces heavy criticism of its waste management practices, particularly where toxic materials are involved. As a fast-industrializing developing country, Thailand seems to pay lop-sided attention to industrial development, in which we place too much emphasis on luxury goods for luxury lifestyles, while ignoring the resultant damage to our country. It would seem appropriate, even at this late stage, for the authorities to start paying serious attention to a problem that has been ignored and swept under the carpet for too long. 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